The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed that many of the illicit weapons currently employed by terrorists and bandits in Nigeria were originally owned by the Federal Government.
Speaking on Thursday, October 17, 2024, in Abuja during the Arms Destruction Exercise organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Ribadu emphasized that these weapons have fallen into the wrong hands due to corruption within security agencies.
Despite this troubling revelation, Ribadu expressed confidence in Nigeria's ability to address its security challenges. “We must find a way to stop this if we want to recover our country and live in peace and stability,” he stated.
He condemned the actions of corrupt security personnel, stating, “The worst human being is a policeman or soldier who takes arms from his own formations and sells them or hides them for criminals to use against their own colleagues.”
Ribadu also highlighted the threat posed by external forces, referring to them as "merchants of death and evil." He warned that the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons significantly undermines national security, contributing to various issues such as insurgency, banditry, and other violent crimes.