Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, has disclosed that a substantial number of illicit weapons circulating in the country were originally owned by the Federal Government.
He made this revelation on Thursday during an arms destruction exercise organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) at Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Abuja.
Ribadu pointed to corruption within the security forces as the root cause, stating that some security personnel had diverted these weapons into the hands of non-state actors, including terrorists and bandits. This alarming development, he said, has worsened Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity issues.
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Condemning those within the security agencies who have facilitated this illicit flow, Ribadu highlighted how such actions are contributing to the surge in violence across the country.
“Corrupt elements within our own security agencies are responsible for allowing weapons into the hands of criminals,” he said.
The arms destruction event came at a time when Nigeria is battling rising insecurity, particularly in the northern regions plagued by banditry, insurgency, and kidnappings.
Ribadu’s remarks offer a critical perspective on the sources of the nation’s insecurity, revealing how government arms have exacerbated the crisis.
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The NSA’s statement emphasized the urgent need for reforms within Nigeria’s security agencies to prevent further leakage of weapons and strengthen internal oversight.
Ribadu concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to tackling the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and ensuring that the country’s security forces are held accountable for their actions.
