TheCable

Nigeria has the highest rate of illicit proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW)  with over 350 million or 70 per cent of about 500 million of such weapons.

Most of the weapons land in the hands of non-state actors that threaten the existence of Nigerians and the country, Olatokunbo Ige, the director of United Nations Regional Centre for peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), said in a press release.

“While reliable data on the numbers of these weapons circulating freely in the country is unavailable, analysts have in recent times estimated that of the about 500 million weapons that may be circulating in West Africa in 2010, some 70 per cent of these could be found in Nigeria,” she said.

“The illicit proliferation of SALW has had a dramatic impact on peace and security in Africa, threatening not only the existence of the state, but also the livelihoods of millions of people across the continent.

“Nigeria is one of the countries that is experiencing some of the most devastating effects of the proliferation of SALW as a result of spillover effect of the recent crises in Libya, and Mali as well as unresolved internal conflicts in different parts of the country especially in the north-east, Niger Delta and southern regions.”

Ige said the illicit proliferation of arms needs to be checked or development in the region will be jeopardised.

She said unsecured stocks and ill managed stockpiles contribute largely to to trafficking and diversion of arms into the illicit market.

The illicit weapons then get to groups like Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants.