As parts of its commitment towards ending the proliferation of small arms, Nigeria has been integrated into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and European Union (EU) small arms project.
The country will also benefited from a special European Union (EU) grant of 2.1 million euros.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Nigeria Ms. Mandisa Mashalogu, who made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja at the formal integration of Nigeria into the EU-ECOWAS small arms project, said 1800 euros would be used in training each participant of the programme.
Speaking at the programme, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hajia Abba Bukkar commended the ECOWAS and EU for including Nigeria in its small arms mop up programme, following the success of the Armed Forces in the Northeast.
She restated Nigeria’s commitment toward the security and development of the international community.
Ms. Mashalogu said Nigeria’s integration into the programme was timely.
According to her, “ECOWAS and EU small arms project is being implemented in six African countries and after the launch of the Nigerian component, we are going to have Nigeria as the seventh country in the project.”
The Chairman, Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESSCOM), Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe, said seven states had been penned down for the project in Nigeria.
Imohi added that 700 weapons were recovered and destroyed in Benue State.
“We have selected seven states in total in Nigeria, five from the north western region; Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states and two southsouth states.”