President Bola Tinubu has sanctioned the appointment of retired Deputy Inspector-General Johnson Kokumo as the new Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) within the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Kokumo assumes this pivotal role following the tenure of Major-General AM Dikko (Rtd.), who was appointed as the pioneer Coordinator by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 3, 2021.
The announcement of Kokumo’s appointment was made on Tuesday via a statement issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu Appoints New Coordinator for the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’
Ngelale lauded Kokumo as a “seasoned and accomplished law enforcement professional” with over three decades of experience in crime prevention, management, analysis, and control. Kokumo previously served as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police at the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja, from 2022 to 2023.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in Kokumo’s capabilities, expecting him to leverage his vast experience and expertise to rejuvenate the Centre and devise innovative strategies to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, a significant contributor to 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 President Buhari, by Article 24 of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The Centre, replacing the defunct Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, serves as the institutional framework for policy guidance, research, and monitoring of small arms and light weapons. Its creation aligns with Nigeria’s efforts to restructure its security architecture, address emerging threats, and bolster regional mechanisms for the regulation and prevention of small arms and light weapons proliferation.