We must halt the proliferation of small, light arms in Africa, says Tinubu

Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has expressed concern over the proliferation of small and light weapons across the African continent.

He urged for a halt to this trend, emphasizing the need for peace and security in the region.

The President who said this on Monday while delivering his goodwill message at the opening of the African Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja, called on leaders to take action at both the national and regional levels to prevent the flow of weapons, which can fuel conflicts and undermine stability in the region.

He stressed that it is essential to prioritize the welfare and safety of African citizens and work towards a future where the continent is free from the threat of armed violence.

Tinubu stated that “No one state can solve this problem for itself. He noted that solutions to the menance, “requires continuous and concerted action by all of us.

The event is organised by Nigeria, with support from the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and will hold from April 22 to April 23, 2024 with the theme: ‘Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism’.

Westernpost reported on Sunday that the presidency said that the summit aims to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.

It also seeks to reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa.

“I must also mention the ongoing need to halt the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) on the continent. No one state can solve this problem for itself. It requires continuous and concerted action by all of us. We need to reposition our regional organisations and build the capacity of our national institutions to effectively address this element of terrorism and violent extremism.

Nigeria is committed to working with our regional partners to strengthen arms control measures, enhance border security, and disrupt the illicit trafficking networks that fuel terrorism and organized crime.

In closing, let me state that we must make this meeting historic and productive.

Tinubu also called on other leaders to do more than speak nice words, and likewise leave with real results.

“We must show our respective populations that we, as leaders, we must do more than speak nice words, we must leave here with real results.

“As leaders, let us show our people that their safety and welfare is paramount. May this conference be succinct and to the point. Let us keep rhetoric to a minimum.

“Let us be focused and dedicated to pinpointing and embarking on the meaningful and strong action needed to win the day and free our continent of violent extremists.

“May we do everything that is required of us to defeat this challenge so that five, ten or twenty years from now it is historians who will be meeting to discuss how today became a major turning point in the African continent’s defeat of the terrorist scourge.

“Once again, I thank you for honouring my invitation. I urge you to work hard but to also enjoy the hospitality beauty of Abuja, our capital city.

“May God bless our endeavours here today.”