The tribute was contained in a statement jointly signed by WAANSA Nigeria President, Temitope Lamidi, and WAANSA First Regional Vice President, Igwe Martin.
The statement said Mr. Ahoba is bowing out from a role that placed him at the very heart of West Africa’s collective security efforts, after over two decades of distinguished service.
Within the organisation, the duo said, he steered the small arms division towards excellence, adding that his leadership was exemplary, replicating itself in the protégés he mentored, a lasting testament to his commitment to institutional sustainability and continuity.
WAANSA disclosed that throughout his tenure, Mr. Ahoba was widely regarded as a steady and principled force behind the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
“While the convention provided the legal framework for regional action, stakeholders within civil society and peacebuilding circles acknowledged that officials such as Mr. Ahoba were instrumental in translating policy into concrete action across member states.
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“For years, sceptics questioned whether the ECOWAS Small Arms Division could deliver tangible results.
“Insiders and civil society partners, however, offer a different assessment: without the consistent and principled implementation championed by the likes of Mr. Ahoba, the threat posed by illicit firearms across West Africa would have been significantly greater.
“His leadership was further demonstrated in major regional and international engagements, including the review of studies on civilian possession of arms and the development of licensing guidelines aimed at mitigating violence across the region,” WAANSA stated.
Public records, the organisation added, show Mr. Ahoba leading and representing the ECOWAS Small Arms Division at several strategic meetings on arms control, stockpile management, and anti-proliferation measures.
His role in facilitating member states’ preparations for the 8th biennial meeting of states on the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, WAANSA asserted, further underscored his central place in shaping West Africa’s regional and global security response.
WAANSA Nigeria noted that, at a time when many institutions struggled for recognition and support, Mr. Ahoba’s commitment to transparency, zero tolerance for corruption, and unwavering support for credible civil society engagement helped elevate the network’s visibility and impact within the regional peace and security ecosystem.
His tenure, it added, was marked not only by policy leadership but also by uncommon institutional courage, professionalism, and an enduring commitment to mentoring the next generation of peace practitioners.
“Mr. Ahoba played a pivotal role in bringing WAANSA Nigeria and the wider small arms control framework to the forefront of peace and security discourse in West Africa.
“As he retires, his vast reservoir of knowledge and institutional memory remains embedded in the strengthened architecture for small arms control across the sub-region, and in the many institutions and professionals whose work he helped shape.
“His contribution to peace, accountability, and regional security will continue to resonate for years to come,” the statement noted.
