The Coordinator, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), retired Maj.-Gen. Abba Dikko has called for media support in tackling the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
Dikko made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, on Thursday, in Abuja.
In a statement by the spokesperson for NCCSALW, Air Commodore Ewejide Akintunde, on Thursday, Dikko commended VON for playing a key role in providing independent and impartial radio broadcasting in Nigeria.
He said it was imperative for NCCSALW to collaborate with VON in mainstreaming issues of illicit Small Light Weapons (SALW) eradication efforts in the national discourse.
The coordinator also called for effort towards collaborating and sensitising stakeholders on expected deliverables, projected timelines and key performance indicators required in the achievement of a peaceful and arms-free Nigeria.
According to him, VON is the flagship broadcasting authority and a multilingual channel through which authoritative information could be disseminated to the entire world.
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“The collaborating with VON would further ensure access to information, strengthen coordination, and build the capacity of relevant stakeholders on their responsibilities under the SALW realm.
Responding, the Director-General of VON, said the creation of the centre was all in the interest of peace and security as well as crime prevention and control.
Okechukwu pledged the readiness of the media outfit to support NCCSALW in the discharge of its duties towards the mopping of illicit arms in the country.
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He gave assurance that VON would give its full support to the centre in the areas of sensitisation of the public and the use of instruments of the media.
Okechukwu described public sensitisation programmes and media cooperation as the primary tools that would assist in combating the proliferation of illicit arms in society.
