The NYSC Small Arms and Light Weapons Community Development Service group, in partnership with the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, has conducted a sensitisation and relief outreach at the Abujan Mai Mala IDP camp and the Mohammad Gombe farming community in Damaturu, targeting the growing proliferation of illegal weapons among displaced populations.

The outreach, held on Monday under the theme "Promoting Health and Peace in Our Communities," combined awareness campaigns on the dangers of illegal arms with hygiene education and the distribution of essential food items to vulnerable displaced persons.

The North East Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Maj. Gen. Abubakar Adamu (rtd), represented by the Assistant Director of Strategic Communication and Information, Aminu Saleh Mohammad, urged displaced persons to remain patriotic and resilient despite the hardships they had suffered.

"We are here to tackle the issue of unlawful weaponry so we can achieve a safer, calmer Nigeria," Adamu stated, adding that community cooperation and timely reporting of suspicious activities were critical to curbing the spread of illicit weapons and strengthening national security.

NYSC CDS team leader Bulus Seth Kazachat noted that the group's core objectives included educating displaced communities on the dangers of small arms, promoting tolerance and peaceful coexistence, and providing essential resources to vulnerable populations.

"We expect that after sensitizing them on the risks, they will report any suspicious activity. If they see anyone wielding unlawful weapons, they should notify the proper authorities. We are also striving to improve their situation, but we cannot do it alone with state aid. Thankfully, YOSEMA is supporting these efforts, but we are appealing to the authorities for more assistance," Kazachat disclosed.

CDS group member Miracle Ephraim revealed that the intervention was directly inspired by the growing proliferation of small arms across the country, and called for sustained collaboration between the centre, security agencies, and local communities to curb illegal arms flow.

"We aim to assess how we, alongside other security personnel, can stop the illegal influx of weapons into Nigeria. The harm guns and light arms have inflicted on the land is evident," Ephraim stated.