1.1 million illegal weapons in private hands - Bani

The Minister for the Interior, Prosper Douglas Bani, has revealed that about 1.1 million weapons are in the possession of civilians in the country, without licence.

According to him, out of the 2.3 million weapons circulating in the country only 1.2million have been captured on the police database.

He therefore called on those in the possession of unlicensed weapons to take urgent steps to get them registered, adding that the law enforcement agencies would ensure that individuals with these unlicensed weapons were arrested and prosecuted.

The Minister made these revelations on Saturday, when addressing the general public on the observance of UN Day for Weapon Destruction at the Trade Fair Centre, in Accra.

The event organized by the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA), under the auspices of the Ministry saw the destruction of 1400 out of about 2,000 seized guns.

The weapons destroyed ranged from AK 47, G3, double barrel, local mortar, hummer, simplex, Baikal guns, local pistols, spears, bows and arrows.

Mr. Bani said these weapons which have not been captured on the Police database might end up in the hands of rascals, who might use it for criminal activities, terrorise society and ignite communal violence.