Abuja — The Federal Government yesterday said no fewer than 1000 people are killed daily by illegal Small Arm and Light Weapons (SALWs) bearers in the West African sub-region.

Mrs Salman Mann, Head, Department of Collective Defence and Security, Ministry of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, said this at a media presentation of activities of the ministry in Abuja.

Mann said over 10 million SALWs are in circulation in West Africa, out of 639 million all over the world.

These illegal weapons are being produced in 90 countries and traded by 1200 companies making up the global Arms market estimated to worth $4 billion.

She said illicit market, which serves non-state actors like terrorists and armed robbers, is estimated at about $1 billion, while over 1 million SALWs are stolen or lost annually through out the world.

To this effect, the Department is mandated to among other things, enhance border security through training of border security operatives, collection and destruction of illicit SALWs and dialogue with manufacturers, suppliers and local arms artisans.

Mann said till date, the ministry has collected and destroyed thousands of illegal SALWs and has sensitised core stake holders in the Niger Delta Region on the dangers of illicit SALWs proliferation in the country.

The Minister, Senator Lawan Gana Guba, represented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Ada Okwuosa, said the ministry since its creation, "has been involved in several programmes aimed at promoting regional peace, security, conflict-prevention and resolution, poverty reduction, regional infrastructural development, democracy and good governance."

She called for a concerted effort at purposeful cooperation and integration not only within African states, but the sub-region.