North West Governors Summon Regional Conference On Control Of Illegal Weapons
The Chairman of Northwest Governors Forum, and Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda has reaffirmed the region’s determination to cooperate in tackling insecurity and tame the spread of illegal weapons.
He described the proliferation of illegal weapons as one of “the region’s most pressing security challenges,” adding that the forthcoming Northwest Regional Workshop on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was a timely and strategic effort to confront the menace.
The governor made this known when he received the Director-General, Northwest Governors Forum, Maryam Musa Yahaya, and the Director-General, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd), on Wednesday at Katsina House in Abuja.
He said governors in the region are committed to regional security cooperation, and would support the regional workshop, organised by the Northwest Governors Forum, NCCSALW, and the United Nations Development Programme.
The workshop, scheduled for October 23–24, 2025, at the State House, Abuja, will bring together Governors of the seven Northwest states, security chiefs, policy experts, and development partners.
It has the theme: ‘Strengthening Regional Action to Curb Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation in Northwest Nigeria.’
Radda emphasized that the meeting with the NCCSALW leadership marked another step in the region’s collective resolve to tackle insecurity at its roots.
“This meeting is not just another official engagement. It is a call to action. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons continues to undermine peace and development across our communities. It fuels banditry, disrupts trade, and prevents our children from going to school,” he said.
He said that addressing the menace of arms proliferation is essential to achieving lasting peace and sustainable development in the Northwest.
“We cannot build thriving communities or attract meaningful investments in an environment where illegal weapons circulate freely. This workshop is therefore not only timely but vital to the survival and progress of our region,” Radda added.
The Governor commended the Office of the National Security Adviser and NCCSALW for their proactive collaboration with the Northwest Governors Forum and urged that outcomes from the forthcoming workshop be translated into measurable actions to strengthen community safety, intelligence sharing, and regional coordination.
“We must move beyond policy discussions to real implementation steps that tighten control mechanisms, enhance intelligence networks, and rebuild public confidence in our ability to protect lives and property,” he said.
Earlier, Kokumo commended the regional Forum for its foresight and leadership.
He described the workshop as “a model for regional synergy and inter-agency cooperation in the fight against illegal arms proliferation.”
The Director-General of NCCSALW said uncontrolled circulation of small arms remains one of the most complex threats to Nigeria’s internal security, which requires stronger regional collaboration to achieve tangible results.
“Through this partnership with the Northwest Governors Forum, we are laying a solid foundation for a coordinated and effective national response,” Kokumo stated.
He reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to working closely with the NWGF, security agencies, and international partners to effectively implement the resolutions of the workshop, so as to promote long-term peace, stability, and socio-economic recovery across the region.
