PHILIP NWOSU
No fewer than 2,829 weapons of various calibers ceased from suspected militants in the Ondo State, have been destroyed by the Nigerian Navy.
The weapons which include 2,208 single- barrel rifles, 189 short guns, 287 Fabrique Nationale (FN) rifles, 215 SIG rifles, 73 SMG rifles and 57 units of double-barrel rifles were dismembered, disengage and made unusable by the Naval Ordnance Depot (NOD).
The weapons according to the Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordnance Depot Rear Admiral Abdul Adamu, were unserviceable and were given to the Nigerian Navy for storage after they were retrieved from suspected militants in Ondo State, under an amnesty programme.
He said that the authorisation to dispose of the weapons came from the Nigerian Navy headquarters in Abuja, adding that some of the weapons were Navy’s unserviceable weapons.
He said: “The destruction of the weapons will be done in within two days, to ensure that the weapons are rendered unusable. The process will involve cutting of the barrelling tiny pieces and finally burning the pieces weapons in dug out hole at the depot.
“It is believed that this approach will permanently deny criminals and miscreants access to the ceased weapons which could pose security threats to society.”
Speaking during the exercise, the representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Danjuma Dogonyaro called on other services that have in their custody, unserviceable weapons to dispose of them to prevent them from being recycled in society.
He said that the Navy had kick-started the demolition and had embarked on a transparent process to ensure that the weapons are demolished and prevented from getting into the hands of criminals.
Admiral Danjuma said the Navy had also followed the internationally-agreed rule laid down under the disarmament process.