By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The United Nations has warned that weapons looted during Libya’s 2011 civil war have found their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria and other countries across the Sahel, contributing significantly to years of insecurity and instability in the region.
Speaking at a meeting on the proliferation of illicit firearms at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, said arms diverted during and after the uprising that ended the rule of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi continue to fuel violence long after the conflict has ended.
According to Nakamitsu, weapons looted from Libya have resurfaced across the Sahel, including in Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, where some have been recovered from extremist groups.
She noted that the development highlights how weapons originating from a single conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later, undermining regional security and peacebuilding efforts.
Nakamitsu described the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as one of the most persistent threats to peace, security and development in conflict-affected regions.
She explained that weapons retained by armed groups, militias and even communities seeking self-protection often contribute to renewed cycles of violence and instability.
The UN official stressed that illicit firearms are not merely a security concern but are also closely linked to human rights violations, terrorism, sexual and gender-based violence, and broader development challenges.
“The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons,” she said, warning that arms used in wars frequently remain outside government control and continue to move across borders through illicit trafficking networks.
Nakamitsu further cautioned that emerging technologies are creating new challenges for governments and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
She highlighted the growing threat posed by ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms and increasingly sophisticated arms-trafficking networks, which make tracing and monitoring weapons more difficult.
According to her, traffickers often disassemble weapons and transport their components separately across borders, complicating efforts to identify their origin and track their movement.
The remarks come amid ongoing concerns over the proliferation of illicit arms in West Africa, where security experts have repeatedly linked the spread of weapons from Libya to the growing strength of terrorist and criminal groups operating across the region.
Nakamitsu underscored the challenges facing countries such as Nigeria, which continues to grapple with insurgency, banditry and other forms of armed violence, warning that the unchecked flow of illicit weapons remains a major obstacle to achieving lasting peace and security in the region.
