President Bola Tinubu has signed the bill for the establishment of the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

The National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this while speaking at a Workshop on Gender Mainstreaming in Preventing the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria and the West African Sub-region, on Tuesday, in Abuja.

According to Ribadu, the bill was a show of commitment by the President to curbing the proliferation of illegal arms.

Represented by the Director of External Affairs, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Amb. Ibrahim Babani, Ribadu stated that the assent to the bill would strengthen the Centre’s mandate for more coordinated and decisive action.

He emphasized that the workshop underscored the collective responsibility and determination to curb the spread of dangerous weapons and protect children and women in West Africa.

“Moreover, the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons underscores the collective responsibility of our region in curbing the spread of these dangerous weapons, which disproportionately affect women and children in conflict zones.

“The importance of gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of SALW cannot be overstated as it strengthens our strategies, and ensures that our approach to security is inclusive and sustainable,” Daily Post quoted Ribadu.