Army hands over hundreds of recovered weapons in Sokoto

BY ANKELI EMMNANUEL, Sokoto

The 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto has handed over hundreds of recovered arms and ammunitions to the National Center for the Control of Small and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

Speaking before handing over the weapons, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Div., Maj Gen Uwem Bassey, said the achievements were possible because of the determination of the joint security force under the Operation Hadarin Daji.

General Bassey who reemphasized that the Operation covers Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi States added that it has its headquarter in Gusau, Zamfara State.

While noting that the 8 Div is in charge of all the areas covered by Operation Hadarin Daji, the GOC added that they are deeply involved in various activities to get rid of criminals and criminality from all areas of these States

“Our mandate is to ensure that these criminals are curtailed to enable law abiding citizens go about their lawful activities without hindrances,” he said.

According to the GOC, Operation Hadarin Daji is segmented into three sectors with one covering the general areas of Zamfara, another covering Katsina and the third covering Sokoto and parts of Kebbi State.

The GOC who noted that the Operation has successfully cleared several camps of bandits and criminals in these States, however lamented that the bandits are mobile and were regrouping in some other places.

He stressed that their operations are continuing because the enemies are mobile, pointing out that the troops under his command are not tired but also operating as mobile units undertaking clandestine operations that have seen to the recovery of numerous weapons.

Reeling out part of the achievements of Operation Hadarin Daji between 2018 to May 2022, the GOC said they have recovered a total of 203 AK 47s, 4 Automated Fabricated Riffles, 7 G3 Riffles, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun, 3 Sub Machine Guns, 1 Light Machine Gun, 4 PN Riffles, 40 Dane Guns, 71 Locally made Pistols, 61 Rocket Propel Guns, empty Cannisters and 1 Pump Action Riffle.

The GOC further appealed to all and sundry to see security as everybody’s business, soliciting for continued divulging of information regarding the bad elements in the society.

“Security agencies in Nigeria are doing their best to ensure that we are ahead of these criminals. We, therefore, seek the cooperation of the society to bring the activities of these criminals to a stop.

“We are committed to bringing lasting peace. We lay down our lives for it and we cannot count the number of dangers we are passing through for the sake of peace. But it is a job we must do”.

Major General Bassey admonished the media to be mindful of national security in their reportage, adding, “without the well-being of Nigerians, we can hardly practice our professions.”

Responding, the NCCSALW North West Coordinator, AVM Haruna Umar Mohammed (rtd) said the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government in it’s determination to stop the senseless bloodletting and insecurity occasioned by the influx of Small Arms and Light Weapons approved the establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in May, 2021 to institutionalize SALW control at all levels of the polity and mainstream illicit SALW eradication efforts.

He noted that their mandate is to, among others, mop up all illicit weapons as well as Small Arms and Light Weapons in circulation within the communities and control the proliferation of all weapons in the holdings of all arms bearing agencies and organizations in the country.

“From what I have seen here in Sokoto, the Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with other security agencies have done tremendously well. I want to urge members of the Operation to please maintain the tempo. We are all aware of the weapons in the hands of bad elements, we must also work to ensure drug free society, hence drugs and illicit arms are the major contributory factors for insecurity.”

AVM Umar Mohammed (rtd), while reiterating that security is everybody’s business, reassured that the 2023 general elections which is around the corner will be arms free by God’s grace.

“2023 election is around the corner. We will have arms free election by the grace of God. With what I have seen here, very soon we will be back for another collection.

“I, therefore, urge all members of the public to support the Government in it’s efforts to eradicate illicit SALW in circulation and by extension, promote an illicit arms- free society.”