The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has given an assurance that the Federal Government would soon develop a clear-cut set of strategies to curb and curtail the proliferation of small and light weapons in the country.

He gave the assurance on Monday at a meeting with top security chiefs and members of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Abuja.

According to a statement by his media aide, Laolu Akande, Professor Osinbajo chaired the inaugural meeting of the committee in line with the directive of the President.

He called for the development of a clear-cut, specific line of action to address the serious problems of small arms and light weapons.

The vice president decried that this fuelled the insurgency in the North East and other security challenges in the country.

He noted that the seriousness of the matter had necessitated the setting up of the review committee.

“The problem we have at hand is really enormous,” said Osinbajo who stated that was why the President was keen on effective and prompt solutions.

Members of the committee present at the meeting included the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama.

Others were the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd); the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu; and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd).

Also in attendance were the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Usman; and the Chairman of PRESCOM, Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe.

The representatives of the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Ministry of Defence were also present.

At the last National Security Council meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the vice president to chair a committee to review the report of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM).

PRESCOM was set up in April 2013 by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. (Channels TV)

•PHOTO: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo speaks at the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Abuja on March 2, 2020. PHOTO: Channels TV.

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