Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, says stopping guns from crossing borders is vital if the country wants a calm general election next year.
He spoke in Abuja while opening a five day training on how to identify and trace small arms and light weapons.
The training runs from October 12 to 16 and brings together security officers and experts from 12 African countries.
Nigeria, Chad, Mali, Algeria, Cameroon, Niger and Benin are among them.
The sessions mix classroom lessons with hands on practice at the Nigeria Police Simulation Centre.
Disu warned that illegal guns pose a real danger to elections.
Armed men can scare voters, attack opponents and disrupt polling.
Election workers and voting materials are also at risk.
He said many weapons used by criminals enter Nigeria through weak borders and known smuggling routes.
No country can fight this alone, he added.
Better weapon tracing will help investigators find the people behind the trade, including the suppliers and the money men.
Once they are found, security agencies can act before the election.
He also linked the problem to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and organised crime across Africa.
He called for more cooperation between countries through shared intelligence, joint investigations and legal help, but said this must follow proper legal channels.
Disu also announced plans for police chiefs from West and East Africa to meet and plan ways to tackle cross border crime together.
The police will share what officers learn from the program with other commands and units.
He said this will help them recover illegal weapons and gather useful intelligence.
He thanked the African Union, INTERPOL, the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies and German experts for their support.
He ended by saying the force is committed to a safe and peaceful election next year.
