As Boko Haram terrorists surrender in droves in the terror-troubled North-East, the National Centre for the Coordination of Small and Light Weapons is set to mop up all small arms and light weapons from them.
The North-East Zonal Coordinator of the Centre, Rear Admiral S A Mohammed, told the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Al-Kanemi, in Maiduguri, that the Centre was fine-tuning strategies to achieve this feat.
Speaking when he led officials of the North-East Zonal Office of the Centre to a courtesy call on the Borno Monarch, Mohammed said the Centre was mandated to mop up every small arm and light weapon from non-state actors and terrorists.
While appreciating the support rendered by the royal father and Borno Emirate in the fight against terrorism, he appealed to the Shehu and the entire Emirate Council to always be accessible to the Centre for periodic advocacy to facilitate the successful discharge of its mandate.
Responding, the Shehu of Borno asked the Zonal Office of the Centre not to be deterred in the task ahead of it by whatever force.
He particularly drew the attention of the Centre to the fact that Borno shares international borders with three countries – Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, which, he observed, contributed greatly to the smuggling and proliferation of arms into Nigeria.
In his comments, the District Head of Damboa, Alhaji Zanna Lawan, advised the Centre to design a wide advocacy around the rural areas of the state to facilitate the discharge of its duty.
