Recovery of Illegal Firearms Alone Won’t Curb Crime, Expert Warns

A security expert, Mr. Seyi Babaeko, has cautioned that the recovery of illegal firearms from suspected criminals does not automatically lead to a significant or sustained reduction in crime rates.

Mr. Babaeko, the Managing Director of Absolute Security and Advance Protocol Ltd, shared this perspective during an interview with the Voice Of the People (VOP) on Tuesday in Lagos.

He commended the efforts of the police and other security agencies in seizing illegal firearms, noting that such operations reflect active law enforcement. However, he emphasized that deeper issues must be addressed for lasting impact.

“The fact that such weapons were in circulation in the first place highlights the depth of our insecurity challenge,” Babaeko said. “Crime is a multi-layered problem, influenced not just by access to weapons but also by factors like poverty, unemployment, lack of education, drug abuse, weak judicial systems, and under-resourced policing.”

While acknowledging that gun recovery can temporarily disrupt criminal activities, Babaeko stressed that long-term crime reduction requires a comprehensive and holistic approach.

“Although the seizure of illegal firearms is encouraging, it represents just one piece of a much larger puzzle,” he said.

To effectively curb the proliferation of illegal arms, the expert advocated for a multi-pronged national strategy. Key measures, he said, should include:

• Strengthening border security and surveillance, given that many illegal arms enter through porous borders;

• Enacting and enforcing stricter firearm regulations to control the ownership, sale, and transfer of weapons;

• Community engagement, encouraging citizens to report suspicious activity for early intervention;

• Disarmament and amnesty programmes aimed at recovering arms from non-state actors and civilians;

• Public education campaigns, especially targeting youth, to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal weapons and violence.

Babaeko concluded that unless the root causes of crime—such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunities—are addressed, the cycle of violence and illegal gun possession will persist under new forms.

“Ultimately, we must fix the foundation. Without addressing the underlying socioeconomic issues, efforts to reduce gun crime may not yield the desired long-term results,” he warned.