The Federal Government says it has destroyed more than 19,000 illicit weapons since 2022 as part of efforts to weaken terrorists, bandits and other criminal networks operating across the country.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu disclosed this in Sokoto during a stakeholder dialogue on tackling banditry in the state.
Represented by Barrister Zakariyya Mijinyawa, Ribadu said the administration of President Bola Tinubu was strengthening security operations, intelligence gathering, border surveillance and cooperation among security agencies.
He identified Operation FANSAN YAMMA as a key platform for coordinating security operations across the North-West, adding that sustained pressure on criminal groups was necessary to protect communities and prevent bandits from establishing safe havens.
Ribadu also cited figures from the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, which reportedly recovered 5,449 firearms and destroyed 1,419 illicit weapons during nationwide operations in September 2026.
He said security agencies would continue working to disrupt arms-trafficking networks and prevent illegal firearms from reaching criminal groups.
The National Security Adviser, however, warned that military operations and weapons seizures alone would not guarantee lasting peace without effective governance and support for communities affected by violence.
He said the government was advancing a coordinated approach involving public institutions, security agencies and local communities to improve crisis response and prevent further attacks.
On Sokoto’s security challenges, Ribadu called for intelligence-led operations to deny bandits access to forest corridors, border communities and vulnerable settlements.
He also stressed the need for stronger surveillance involving State Forest Guards and NSCDC Agro-Rangers.
He urged local authorities, traditional rulers and community leaders to strengthen intelligence-sharing and early-warning systems, particularly in vulnerable areas such as Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza and Goronyo.
Ribadu further called for measures to address poverty, unemployment and the vulnerability of young people to recruitment by criminal groups.
He stressed that reintegration and reconciliation efforts must not replace justice or reward violence.
The dialogue, organised by the Sokoto Advancement Forum in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, focused on preventing banditry, improving community resilience and strengthening cooperation between residents and security agencies.
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