The United Nations has disclosed that weapons looted during the 2011 conflict in Libya later found their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria.

The revelation was made by the UN under-secretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, while addressing delegates at the UN Headquarters in New York during discussions on the global spread of illicit firearms and their impact on peace and security.

Nakamitsu warned that weapons diverted or stolen during armed conflicts often continue to fuel violence long after hostilities have ended, contributing to instability, terrorism, and organised crime across national borders.

According to her, arms looted during the uprising that toppled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi resurfaced in several countries across the Sahel region, including Nigeria, years after the conflict.

“Libya, where weapons were looted or diverted during and after the 2011 conflict, which ended the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, later surfaced across the wider Sahel region, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria,” Nakamitsu said.

She noted that some of the weapons were eventually recovered from extremist organisations operating in the region, demonstrating how arms from one conflict can contribute to insecurity far beyond their original battlefield.

“Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later,” she stated.

“The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people.”

The UN official stressed that the continued circulation of illicit firearms poses a major challenge to peacebuilding efforts, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected societies.

She explained that weapons retained by armed groups, militias, and even local communities for self-defence purposes often contribute to renewed cycles of violence and instability.

Nakamitsu further warned that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons is closely linked to a range of security and humanitarian concerns, including terrorism, human rights violations, and gender-based violence.

“It is not just a security issue. It is also about peacebuilding. It is about human rights. It is also about development,” she said.

The UN disarmament chief noted that weapons used during armed conflicts frequently remain outside government control after wars end, enabling them to move across borders and fuel criminal activities in different regions.

“Wars end, but unfortunately, the weapons that are used in that particular conflict would not be under full control,” Nakamitsu said.

“They continue to circulate. They are sometimes hidden. They are brought across borders.”

She also highlighted emerging threats posed by technological advancements in illicit arms production and trafficking, including the rise of ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms, and increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks.

According to her, these developments are making it more difficult for authorities to track and intercept illegal weapons.

“Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace,” she added.

The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern over the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons in the Sahel, warning that they contribute to terrorism, armed conflict, organised crime and regional instability. (Daily Trust)

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