The Minister of Defence, Maj-Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd), has said hard times await traffickers of small and light weapon fueling insecurity in the country.
He said the recent inauguration of the National Centre for the Control of Light and Small Arms by President Muhammadu Buhari is a pointer of the present administration’s resolve to check mate illegal movement of weapons by non-state actors.
He also assured the Arms Trade Treaty, (ATT) of government’s resolve to re- invigorating the nation’s mechanisms to address reporting deficit.
A statement by the minister’s media Muhammad Abdulkadri Tuesday said, General Magashi gave this assurance in a message to the opening ceremony of A – 4 Day National Training Workshop with the theme; “Strengthening Inter – Agency Cooperation in Treaty Implementation and Reporting in Nigeria”
The minister who was represented by the Director Joint Services Department, JSD and National Focal Point Ministry of Defence, Mrs Olu Mustapha told the stakeholders to take maximum benefits of the workshop towards understanding their role in reporting system.
He challenged participants to come up with solutions and resolutions that will promote stakeholders cooperation and to close the perceived knowledge gap undermining the implementation of Treaty and reporting role in Nigeria.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Musa Istifanus, represented by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Benson Odama said the training is part of efforts by the ministry to decisively promote the needed cooperation among the Stakeholders.
Istifanus also reiterated other expectations from the training to include enhanced capacity building for the participants to seamlessly perform their roles in treaty implementation and reporting in Nigeria.
In his goodwill message, the Head ATT secretariat, Domisani Dladla expressed satisfaction with the huge turnout of participants at the training.
Dladla commended the Federal Government for the leadership role Nigeria is playing in the ATT as well as her significant contributions to regional and global security and stability.
