NYSC to use over 380,000 mobilized graduates to sensitize against illegal arms

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has promised that it will use annual average mobilization of more than 380,000 Nigerian graduates to sensitize against transnational movement of illegal arms across the country.

NYSC Director-General, General YD Ahmed vowed on a request made by the National Centre for the Control of Arms and Light Weapons (NCCALW) Director-General, Rtd Deputy Inspector General of Police, Johnson Kokumo, who paid a courtesy call at NYSC National Directorate Headquarters Abuja.
The DG said the Scheme is strategically placed to collaborate with the NCCALW towards the effective sensitization against the rising tide in transnational movement of illegal arms and weapons within the Nigerian geographical space.

While acceding to the request for partnership between the two agencies, the DG, General Ahmed added that the initiative was a welcome development in view of the threats posed to national security by the activities of arms dealers.
According to the statement released by the Scheme, the NYSC Chief Executive said it is imperative for both agencies to develop a framework in order to define the areas of collaboration.

Earlier, DIG Kokumo said the need for both agencies to collaborate to curtail movement of illegal arms had become imperative given the fact that most of the actors in this unwholesome practice were young men and women.
He disclosed that the proliferation of illegal arms and weapons was largely responsible for the increase in crimes such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, among others in the country.

The NCCALW’s Chief Executive reiterated that the specific areas of partnership desired by the Centre was to sensitize Corps on the dangers posed to Nigeria by activities of illegal arms dealers and also use them as change agents to educate the public.

John kokumo informed his host that the centre’s establishment was informed by a directive from the ECOWAS Commission for Member States to take formal steps towards curtailing the activities of arms smugglers across the West African sub-region, added that the centre was established in 2021 and got its legal backing in June 2024.