By Daniel Idonor

ABUJA- PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday, expressed worry that the growing proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country was contributing to the present insecurity situation.

He tasked Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to do more in stemming the menace.

The President, however, commended NCS for the remarkable successes recorded in the seizures of all types of arms being smuggled through the borders. He urged them to continue to play their role in tackling the security challenges.

Jonathan handed down the charge at the commissioning of Customs Staff College and World Customs Organisation Regional Training Centre in Abuja, where he assured that his administration was committed to making NCS a model agency in West Africa as well as a trusted guardian of the borders.

President Jonathan said the training centre was in line with his adminis-tration’s determination to train Nigerians and urged the service to expand the facilities for the use of other agencies.

He said: “As a government, we are determined to support the creation of a cadre of well-trained public service workers with skills and commitment to drive the developmental aspirations of the Federal Government.

“For us, the opening of the college will also reduce the need and cost of going abroad for some training courses. It will also help our customs to develop relevant best practices that could be useful to sister institutions in other parts of the world.”