By Abigael Joshua

The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the National Park Service (NPS) to tackle banditry and other criminal activities within Nigeria’s parks.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Johnson Kokumo retired, the Centre’s Coordinator, made this known during a visit to the NPS in Abuja on Thursday.

“Our mission is to solicit your understanding, support, and collaboration. We want to identify areas where we can work together to combat criminal elements.

“We also aim to control the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

“Our borders are porous, allowing illicit arms and ammunition to enter Nigeria. We have identified these forest routes as major channels of proliferation,” Kokumo said.

He acknowledged the role the NPS plays in tackling criminal activities and assured the agency of collaboration in capacity-building and intelligence sharing.

Dr Ibrahim Goni, Conservator-General (C-G) of the NPS, welcomed the partnership, highlighting the numerous security challenges faced by the parks.

He raised concerns over banditry, insurgency, illegal logging, poaching, and mining, stating that “loggers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and equipped with arms”.

The C-G urged the centre to support the NPS with modern patrol equipment, detectors, and advanced weaponry to effectively tackle these threats.

Goni pledged the agency’s commitment to collaborating with the centre in capacity-building efforts and also called for a review of the National Park Act to strengthen park security. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Tosin Kolade