The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General YD Ahmed, has announced that the NYSC is strategically positioned to work with the National Centre for the Control of Arms and Light Weapons (NCCALW) to address the growing problem of illegal arms and weapons trafficking within Nigeria.
This collaboration is seen as a vital step towards curbing the transnational movement of illegal arms that threatens the nation’s security.
General Ahmed highlighted the unique capacity of the NYSC to contribute to this effort, noting that the Scheme mobilizes an average of over 380,000 Nigerian graduates annually, deploying them across the country, including in remote areas.
This broad reach, he said, makes the NYSC an ideal partner for raising awareness about the dangers of illegal arms trafficking.
General Ahmed made these remarks in response to a partnership request from the Director General of the NCCALW, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Rtd) Johnson Kokumo.
DIG Kokumo visited the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja to seek collaboration between the two agencies.
He emphasized the urgent need to address the flow of illegal arms, citing it as a key factor behind the rising levels of violent crime in Nigeria, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
In his statement on Wednesday, General Ahmed welcomed the idea of partnership, describing it as a timely and necessary initiative in light of the increasing threat to national security posed by the activities of illegal arms dealers.
He further stressed the importance of developing a comprehensive framework to outline the areas of collaboration between the NYSC and NCCALW.
During the meeting, DIG Kokumo pointed out that many of those involved in the illegal arms trade are young people.
He explained that the collaboration with the NYSC would focus on sensitizing corps members to the dangers of illegal arms trafficking, to use these young graduates as agents of change to educate the public on the issue.
DIG Kokumo also highlighted that the NCCALW was created in response to a directive from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which urged member nations to take formal steps in curbing the smuggling of arms across the West African sub-region.
Established in 2021, the Centre received its legal mandate in June 2024, further empowering it to tackle the proliferation of illegal arms in Nigeria.
This partnership between the NYSC and the NCCALW is expected to play a significant role in addressing the security challenges posed by the trafficking of illegal weapons and is seen as a proactive step towards safeguarding the nation’s future.
