Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working closely with the Federal Government to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country.
Governor Otti gave the assurance while receiving a delegation led by the new South East Zonal Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Captain Chris Anusiem, who paid him a visit.
He emphasised that almost all crimes are committed with small arms and light weapons, stressing the need to drastically reduce, if not completely eliminate their circulation.
“I want to assure you that the Abia State Government, and the people will cooperate with you and work with you to ensure that you succeed in your assignment.
“Virtually, all the crimes you see around are committed with light weapons and small arms. If we don’t eliminate them, or at least reduce them to the barest minimum, then we cannot have peace”, the Governor stated.
Governor Otti underscored that security remains central to the policies of his administration, adding that the fight against insecurity requires collective action.
According to him: “Everybody must work together. One of the things we have here is that we have security agencies whose heads and everybody work together.
“From time to time, we hold security council meetings and come up with strategies, share ideas on how to eliminate or at least reduce crime to the barest minimum in the State.
“We also, like you rightly pointed out, are working with sister States, so that somebody does not commit a crime here and then take off to a neighbouring State, and that place becomes a haven for him”.
The Governor commended the Federal Government for establishing the centre and thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing DIG Johnson Babatunde Kukum, as Director-General of the NCCSALW and expressed confidence that he would deliver effectively on his mandate.
Earlier, Captain Anusiem explained that his visit was part of a familiarisation tour following his recent posting to Enugu as South East Zonal Director of the agency.
Captain Anusiem who pledged to collaborate with the Abia State Government to strengthen efforts at crime prevention, reiterated the agency’s vision of promoting an arms-free society.
He commended Governor Otti for his strides in maintaining peace and security in Abia and solicited his support stressing that tackling arms proliferation requires a collective effort.
