The Nigeria Police Force has commenced a nationwide programme to recover illegal arms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja.
Disu was speaking during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Center for the Control of Small Arms & Light Weapons led by its Director-General, Mr Johnson Kokumo.
The I-G said there was a need for advocacy on civil disarmament of people with illegal arms in their possession and to let the public know that security was a collective responsibility.
“We need to let them know that it is not us putting on uniform that are only security operatives. Policing is a collective responsibility.
“It is important to create the awareness that anybody carrying illegal arms around is going to use it on another citizen of the country.
“So, there is need for us to carry out civil disarmament and all hands must be on deck to ensure the success of the exercise.
“Our officers have been told to start this, especially as we are approaching the elections and we have started recovering illegal arms in possession of people who are not supposed to have it,” he said.
He said the operation for the surrendering and recovery of weapons would be more tenacious as the elections get closer.
According to him, the focus of the operation is to come up with a programme on the need for people to surrender illegal arms in their possession.
