The appointment of zonal coordinators for the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has been approved by the National security adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno.
This was made known by the national coordinator of the centre, A.M. Dikko via a statement issued on Friday by Ewejide Akintunde, NCCSALW spokesman.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had in May 2021, approved the establishment of the NCCSALW.
The federal government in August 2021 had stated that offices for the centre would be established across the six geopolitical zones.
According to the statement, the appointment of the coordinators for the geopolitical zones is part of efforts by the centre to “further operationalise its activities towards the eradication of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) nationwide”.
The appointees were listed as: “AVM H.U. Mohammed (rtd) for the north-west Zone, Major General H.I. Bature (rtd) – north-central; Rear Admiral A.S. Mohammed (rtd) – north-east; Mr Akinlade Ben Sola (rtd) from the Department of State Services for the south-west zone; Major General Okechukwu Ugo (rtd) – south-east; and Major General I.M. Obot (rtd) for the south-south zone”.
“The appointees are qualified senior experienced officers from the security agencies selected to administer the affairs of the centre at the sub-national level,” the statement reads.
“The appointment of the zonal coordinators closely follows the approval for the establishment of zonal centres in the 6 geopolitical zones namely: Kaduna, Minna, Maiduguri, Ado-Ekiti, Enugu and Calabar.
“The appointments were done in a bid to ensure the attainment of the Centre’s mandate in ensuring an arms-free society.”