By Kazeem Waris
The Federal Government says it has destroyed more than 19,000 illegal weapons since 2022 as part of efforts to weaken terrorist groups, bandits and other criminal networks operating across the country.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this on Saturday in Sokoto at a multi-stakeholder dialogue on strategies to tackle banditry in the state.
Ribadu, represented by Barrister Zakariyya Mijinyawa, said the government was strengthening security operations, intelligence gathering, border surveillance and cooperation among security agencies to address the threat.
The dialogue, organised by the Sokoto Advancement Forum (SAF) in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, was themed “Coping with Banditry in Sokoto State: A Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue for Prevention, Containment and Community Resilience.”
He identified Operation FANSAN YAMMA as a key initiative in coordinating military and security operations across the North-West, adding that sustained pressure was necessary to prevent criminal groups from establishing safe havens.
The NSA also cited figures from the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), stating that 5,449 firearms were recovered and 1,419 illicit weapons destroyed during nationwide operations in September 2026.
He said the government would continue working with relevant agencies to dismantle arms-trafficking networks, trace recovered weapons and prevent firearms from reaching criminal groups.
Ribadu, however, stressed that military operations alone would not guarantee lasting peace without effective governance and sustained government presence in communities affected by insecurity.
He said rebuilding public confidence, restoring local institutions and enabling displaced residents to return to their homes must form part of the broader response to banditry.
According to him, the Office of the National Security Adviser is promoting a coordinated approach through the National Crisis Management Doctrine to improve preparedness and cooperation among government institutions, security agencies and communities.
On Sokoto’s security challenges, Ribadu called for intelligence-led operations to restrict bandits’ access to forests, border communities and vulnerable settlements.
He also advocated greater support for State Forest Guards and NSCDC Agro-Rangers to improve surveillance and protect rural communities.
The NSA urged security agencies and community leaders to strengthen intelligence-sharing and early-warning systems, particularly in vulnerable areas such as Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza and Goronyo.
He further called for community involvement in preventing attacks, warning that economic hardship, misinformation and youth vulnerability could undermine security efforts.
Ribadu said expanding access to education and employment, protecting livelihoods and creating opportunities for young people were important to reducing recruitment into criminal groups.
He also maintained that reintegration programmes for former combatants must not undermine justice or accountability for victims of violence.
“Reintegration must never replace justice or reward violence. National security frameworks can succeed only when communities help translate them into local action,” he said.
Ribadu commended the Sokoto Advancement Forum for developing its Blueprint for the Strategic Development of Sokoto State, urging participants to translate the recommendations from the dialogue into practical measures.
He called for a community security and early-warning plan with clearly defined responsibilities to improve information-sharing between residents and security agencies.
The NSA said lasting peace in Sokoto and the wider North-West would depend on sustained security operations, effective governance, economic opportunities and cooperation between government and local communities.
