The West African Action Network on Small Arms, WAANSA, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, order the reopening of schools nationwide.
WAANSA insisted that prolonged school closures project a “dangerous image of weakness” in the face of banditry and violent crimes in parts of the country.
In a letter addressed to the president after its participation in the annual coordinating meeting of National Commissions on Small Arms for ECOWAS member states held in Ghana, the organisation warned that silence in the face of insecurity only emboldens criminals.
The group opined that shutting down schools over fear of attacks creates the impression that “criminals are winning the war,” pointing out that young Nigerians must not be denied access to quality education and future opportunities due to the activities of violent groups.
WAANSA also urged the Federal Government to begin fencing Nigeria’s international borders, explaining that intelligence suggests several criminal actors exploit the ECOWAS free movement protocol to infiltrate the country and perpetrate kidnappings, banditry, and other organized crimes in Nigeria.
According to the network, “porous border routes have worsened the flow of illicit small arms and light weapons into Nigeria and West Africa, fueling criminality and undermining regional peace and stability.”
The group further appealed to President Tinubu to declare a six-month nationwide gun amnesty programme starting from December 10, 2025, to allow individuals in possession of illegal weapons to voluntarily surrender them at designated centres without fear of prosecution.
It stated that the proposed amnesty should be followed by a comprehensive national arms registration exercise to ensure proper identification, tracking, and accountability for all weapons in circulation across the country.
WAANSA observed that the appointment of the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, as Nigeria’s representative on the ECOWAS Regional Advisory Council presents an opportunity to mobilize traditional rulers for intelligence gathering, early warning, and coordinated action against banditry and trans-border crimes.
The organisation also expressed concern over undocumented Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and the proliferation of vigilante groups, calling on the Office of the National Security Adviser to unify and coordinate such interventions in collaboration with traditional institutions and local governments.
WAANSA commended the military, police, DSS, and other security agencies for their efforts, but urged the government to sustain public sensitisation on national security issues, warning that non-state actors must never be allowed to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.