Arms Awareness Drive Reaches IDP Camps in Yobe, Targets Illegal Weapons and Community Safety

Arms Awareness Drive Reaches IDP Camps in Yobe, Targets Illegal Weapons and Community Safety

By  Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

A coordinated effort to curb the spread of illicit weapons in Nigeria’s Northeast has taken root in Yobe State. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in partnership with the Small Arms and Light Weapons Community Development Service (SALWCDS) and the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, has launched a sensitisation campaign in displaced communities.

The outreach, held at the Abujan Mai Mala Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp and the Mohammad Gombe farming community, combined advocacy on small arms proliferation with hygiene education and the distribution of food items to vulnerable residents.

The initiative forms part of a broader regional intervention that targets communities affected by conflict across the six states of the Northeast.

Speaking at the event, the North-East Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Adamu (retd), who was represented by his assistant on strategic communication and information, urged displaced individuals to embrace unity despite the trauma of insurgency.

He encouraged residents to support peacebuilding efforts by fostering cooperation and vigilance within their communities.

The campaign, themed “Promoting Health and Peace in Our Communities,” seeks to address the persistent challenge of illicit arms circulation, which authorities say continues to fuel insecurity in the region.

The SALWCDS team leader, Bulus Seth Kazachat, said the program aims to educate residents on the dangers posed by small arms while promoting peaceful coexistence.

“Our goal is to ensure that communities understand the risks associated with illegal weapons and take responsibility by reporting suspicious movements,” he said.

Kazachat urged residents to alert security agencies whenever they notice individuals in possession of unlawful arms, stressing that timely information could prevent violence.

He added that while the group is working to improve the living conditions of displaced persons, the government and stakeholders need to provide more support.

“We cannot do this alone. We appreciate the support from SEMA, but we call for greater intervention to strengthen these efforts,” he said.

He pointed out that, in addition to raising awareness, the initiative aims to find ways to reduce the flow of illegal weapons into Nigeria, highlighting the severe effects of small arms in conflict-affected states like Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, and Yobe.

The campaign underscores growing collaboration between government agencies and community-based groups in tackling insecurity while addressing the humanitarian needs of affected populations, particularly in regions severely impacted by violence and displacement due to the proliferation of illicit weapons.