By Israel Adamu,Jos
Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) saddled with the responsibility of ensuring lasting peace in Plateau ,Bauchi and Southern Kaduna Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, has handed over 130 recovered illicit arms to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
During the handover ceremony, Major General Abubakar, who also serves as the General Officer Commanding 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, disclosed that the illicit arms were seized from criminal elements during security operations under the OPSH.
The breakdown of the recovered arms includes 29 Dane guns, 53 fabricated revolver rifles, 14 AK-47 rifles, one G3 rifle, eight locally fabricated AK-47 rifles, nine Harris Burg pistols, 21 locally fabricated pistols, one English pistol, and two locally fabricated SMGs. Additionally, the recovered items encompass 28 AK-47 magazines, three locally fabricated magazines, one RPG7 Tube, 1,522 rounds of ammunition, 500 rounds of 9mm ammunition, six cartridges, and four RPG7 rockets with chargers.
General Abubakar highlighted that these small arms and light weapons, along with drugs, motorcycles, and vehicles, were retrieved through both kinetic and non-kinetic methods during the troops’ operations, leading to the successful rescue of kidnapped victims.
In an effort to counter the senseless violence and insecurity resulting from the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in communities, the Nigerian Federal Government devised a strategy to eliminate illicit weapons. As part of this initiative, the establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was approved to combat the illegal possession and circulation of these arms.
General Abubakar proudly noted that OPSH has achieved remarkable success in curbing the circulation of illicit arms, thereby fostering a society free from the harmful effects of such weapons.
The Coordinator of the North Central Zone of NCCSALW, Major General Hamza Ibrahim Bature, commended the troops’ efforts in recovering the small arms and light weapons under the leadership of the Commander of Operation Safe Haven.
He emphasized the significance of retrieving even a single weapon from unauthorized persons, as it potentially saves multiple lives. Major General Bature urged the people of Plateau State to support OPSH in its mission to create an illicit arms-free society, calling for continued collaboration through both kinetic and non-kinetic means.
“To get just one weapon out of the hands of unauthorized persons means several lives have been saved and to have recovered this quantity of recovered arms you can imagine the number of people that would have fallen if this weapon were still in their hands” Maj Gen Hi Bature (Rtd) stated
He further appealed to the media to accurately report incidents involving unauthorized persons with weapons and to support the efforts of military outfits and other armed organizations and agencies. By doing so, Nigerians can better appreciate and understand the extent of their contributions to security efforts.
