Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, says the Abia State government will continue to work with the relevant Federal government agencies to reduce the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
Governor Otti gave the assurance while receiving a delegation of the new South East Zonal Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, led by Captain Chris Anusiem, who visited him at his office.
He said that almost all crimes were committed with small arms and light weapons and stressed the need to reduce it.
“Virtually, all the crimes you see around are committed with light weapons and small arms.
“If we don’t eliminate them, or at least reduce them to the barest minimum, then we cannot have peace,” he said.
Otti said that his administration was working together with security agencies to ensure that criminals fleeing from neighboring States don’t settle in Abia.
He thanked the Federal government for setting up the centre, as well as thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing his friend, DIG. Johnson Babatunde Kukum as Director General of the centre and expressed the hope that he would perform well.
Earlier, Anusiem said that he was in the State for a familiarization visit, having been newly posted to Enugu to head the South East Zonal office.
Anusiem, who commended Governor Alex Otti for effectively maintaining peace in Abia, explained that the vision of the agency was to promote illicit arms-free society.
