The European Union has said it budgeted €24.4million for the fight against the proliferation and illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and other West African countries. The head the EU delegation to the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), Ms Enobong Moma, disclosed this yesterday at a roundtable on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria held in Abuja.
She said reducing the availability of small arms and light weapons would help curb organised crime in the region. “You may well know, illicit weapons, which are now, even more readily available – threaten electoral processes, weaken police authority, promote sexual violence and undermine security efforts to maintain peace. This is particularly worrisome in the face of the rise of criminal activity and violent extremism within the country and beyond its borders.
“It is in response to this threat, that the European Union has taken the initiative to support ECOWAS and by extension, its member states including Nigeria, in implementing the provisions of its Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and its vision of promoting peace, security, and stability within its member states.
“With a total budget of €24.4m, this project is part of the regional effort to combat organised crime and trafficking in persons in West Africa by reducing the availability and illicit trafficking of SALW at the border community level and strengthening cross-border cooperation as well as the capacity of national actors on SALW control,” she said.
