The Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition (SLeCAA) has officially commenced the destruction of unserviceable weapons nationwide, marking a significant step in enhancing national security and reducing the dangers posed by illicit arms circulation.
The nationwide exercise, which began on Sunday this week and will run until 13th March 2025 in Makeni, Teko, Bo, and Kenema, is coordinated by Major General Christian Fahim Marah, the Commissioner of SLeCAA. Destruction operations in the Western Area will continue from 15th March to 23rd March 2025.
This operation, which is a joint effort involving the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), and SLeCAA, is a critical part of Sierra Leone’s efforts to manage and control small arms and light weapons (SALW), and is being conducted in compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
The exercise, which includes the destruction of state-owned unserviceable weapons and exhibit weapons from the judiciary, is aimed at mitigating the risk of arms falling into the wrong hands and preventing the resurgence of violence that plagued the country during its 11-year civil war.
By undertaking this large-scale destruction exercise, the government is taking crucial steps to reduce the risk of these weapons being used in criminal activities or falling back into the hands of rebel groups or insurgents.
The operation is expected to reduce significantly the stockpile of obsolete weapons held by both the military and law enforcement agencies, thus limiting the opportunity for these weapons to be re-circulated into the civilian population.