The Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Kokumo, has dismissed claims in a viral video alleging that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, sponsored suspects arrested over the seizure of illegal arms at Tin Can Island Port.
Speaking at a joint security spokespersons’ briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Kokumo described the allegations as false and misleading.
He said he was personally present when the Nigeria Customs Service handed over 399 assorted automatic weapons intercepted at Tin Can Island Port to the centre.
According to Kokumo, the weapons are currently secured in the centre’s armoury, while two suspects arrested in connection with the illegal importation remain in custody as investigations continue.
He said security agencies are working to identify both the local suspects and any international criminal network linked to the shipment.
Kokumo also condemned the viral video for making what he described as baseless allegations and for allegedly inciting violence against the National Security Adviser and other individuals.
The NCCSALW boss said the Federal Government has continued to destroy recovered illicit weapons to prevent them from returning to the hands of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.
He disclosed that the centre destroyed 1,419 illicit weapons during its second-quarter arms destruction exercise on July 30, 2026, bringing the total number of weapons destroyed since 2022 to more than 19,000.
Kokumo added that the centre received 5,050 obsolete and illicit weapons from the Nigeria Police Force in June 2026, while the 399 automatic weapons intercepted by Customs were handed over on August 17, 2026.
He clarified that the government is not targeting legitimate local gunsmiths who produce traditional hunting firearms, but is focused on criminal manufacturers involved in producing sophisticated illegal weapons. He added that skilled local manufacturers could be integrated into national development initiatives.
