The United Nations has disclosed that weapons looted during the 2011 Libyan conflict have ended up in the hands of extremist groups in Nigeria. Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN under-secretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, stated that these looted weapons continue to fuel violence in communities long after wars have concluded.
Weapons from Libya Destabilizing the Sahel
According to The Cable, Nakamitsu explained that weapons looted or diverted during and after the 2011 conflict that ended Muammar Gaddafi's rule later surfaced across the wider Sahel region, including Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. She emphasized that some of these arms were subsequently found in the possession of extremist groups, illustrating how weapons from one conflict can destabilize neighboring countries years later.
“The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people,” Nakamitsu said. She added that small arms proliferation can undermine peacebuilding efforts and that weapons retained by armed groups, militias, and communities for self-protection can contribute to renewed violence and instability.
Link to Human Rights Abuses and Terrorism
The high representative pointed out that illicit weapons are linked to human rights abuses, terrorism, and sexual 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 stated. Nakamitsu noted that weapons used in conflict continue to circulate, crossing borders and fueling crime long after wars end.
“Wars end, but unfortunately, the weapons that are used in that particular conflict would not be under full control,” she said. “They continue to circulate. They are sometimes hidden. They are brought across borders.”
New Challenges: Ghost Guns and Trafficking Networks
Nakamitsu also highlighted the emergence of ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms, and sophisticated trafficking networks, which are creating new challenges for governments worldwide. “Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace,” she added.
