by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has urged for decisive and coordinated action to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, warning that their spread among bandits and criminal networks poses one of the gravest threats to peace and national security.
The governor made the call on Monday, September 15, 2025, while receiving the Zonal Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Abdul Adamu Eneche (rtd Deputy Director-General), and his delegation at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos.
Governor Mutfwang decried Nigeria’s porous borders, which have enabled the influx and circulation of dangerous weapons, emboldening non-state actors and aggravating insecurity
“Indeed, it is very worrisome that a large number of arms and ammunition have found their way into the hands of non-state actors,” he lamented.
Highlighting recent security successes in Plateau State, the governor disclosed that security agencies had intercepted and confiscated over 40 AK-47 rifles, a development he said reflects both the scale of the problem and the vigilance of security operatives.
He charged the NCCSALW to intensify its intelligence-driven operations to disrupt illegal arms networks, while ensuring that legitimate self-defense efforts are not misrepresented.
“Let’s go after the real criminals,” Governor Mutfwang emphasized. “We must activate and strengthen our intelligence networks to intercept these arms. Where necessary, we will invest in intelligence gathering.
“As a government, we have directed all our local government chairmen to penetrate the criminal networks of those we have glamorized as ‘bandits,’ but who, in truth, are dangerous criminals and murderers.”
The governor assured the Centre of his administration’s unwavering commitment to collaborate with federal agencies and security stakeholders to reinforce peace and security across Plateau State.
In his remarks, Zonal Director Eneche commended the Plateau State Government for its robust support to law enforcement efforts, describing Plateau as a vital partner in the national campaign against arms proliferation.
“It is on this premise that the Federal Government established the Centre to stem the tide of small arms and light weapons,” Eneche noted, reaffirming NCCSALW’s readiness to partner with the state in intelligence gathering, public sensitization, and enforcement operations.
The meeting underscored a shared resolve, between Plateau State and the NCCSALW, to deepen collaboration in safeguarding lives, property, and the stability of the nation.