Weapon control: Germany delivers containerized armoury to Nigeria Police

In a bid to reduce human cost of armed violence in the Sahel and West Africa by supporting effective weapons management and control, Federal Republic of Germany handed over constructed containerized armoury to Nigeria Police in Abuja.

In a statement released Tuesday in Abuja by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Nigeria, it noted, “On the 17th of June 2025, a newly constructed containerized armoury was handed to the Nigeria Police Force at the FCT Police Command Headquarters in Abuja by Her Excellency Annett Gunther, German Ambassador to Nigeria.

“Beyond delivering a physical facility, the handover symbolised a meaningful partnership, shared responsibility, and a collective commitment to peace and security.

“The illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the West African region continues to fuel armed violence, severely impacting civilians and communities.

“To respond to these threats, Germany works together with the Nigerian government on collaborative and innovative initiatives that strengthen national and local capacities in arms control.

“One such initiative is the project being celebrated today and implemented by The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) in close collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

“The project is part of a broader, multi-year regional intervention funded by the German Federal Foreign Office aimed at reducing the human cost of armed violence in the Sahel and West Africa by supporting effective weapons management, building institutional and community resilience, and encouraging regional cooperation” the statement read in part.

“The project is structured around three key objectives: To help Individuals and communities affected by and exposed to the risk of armed violence be safe and secure from risks posed by SALW and their associated ammunition; To empower security sector actors and other key state agencies to be better able to implement good practice management of SALW and ammunition; To Increase state capacity to individually and collaboratively address risks related to SALW and ammunition.

“In Nigeria, MAG and partners have already recorded key achievements under the current project including the following: 1,311 SALW Risk Education sessions have been delivered, reaching over 22,660 individuals in high-risk communities.

“56 security and defence forces personnel were trained in armoury storekeeping and 24 personnel were trained in armoury management. 10 personnel were trained in weapons marking. 10 personnel were trained in weapons cutting. One containerized armoury to secure small arms and small arms ammunition.

“In the coming months, MAG and partners will also continue to work in vulnerable communities affected by armed violence to deliver SALW risk education. MAG will also continue to work with the NCCSALW to destroy obsolete weapons and secure more weapons.

“Her Excellency Annett Günther, in her remarks stated that: “The success of the project is the result of strong partnerships. The effective collaboration between MAG, Nigerian institutions, and other regional actors shows what we can achieve when we work together” the statement concluded.