President Bola Tinubu has given approval for the appointment of DIG Johnson Kokumo (retd) as the new Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Kokumo has succeeded Major-General AM Dikko (retd), who was appointed as the pioneer Coordinator by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 3, 2021.
On Tuesday, the Presidency announced his appointment in a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, who characterized Kokumo as a seasoned and accomplished law enforcement professional with more than 30 years of experience in crime prevention, management, analysis, and control.
From 2022 to 2023, he was the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The President anticipates that the new Coordinator will use his immense experience and expertise to revamp the Centre and create new strategies to address the issue of arms proliferation, a key driver of insecurity in the country.
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was established on May 3, 2021, through an Executive directive by Buhari, aligning with Article 24 of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The Centre, as stated by the Presidency, would take over from the defunct Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons and would act as the institutional mechanism for policy guidance, research, and monitoring of all aspects of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
NCCSALW was established as part of the restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture to address emerging threats and strengthen regional mechanisms for the control, prevention, and regulation of SALW.
