Illegal Small Arms Major Cause of Insecurity, Banditry, Terrorism in Nigeria — NSA Ribadu

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has identified the proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons as a major driver of insecurity, banditry, terrorism and communal violence across Nigeria.

Ribadu made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja at a workshop reviewing lessons from Nigeria’s 2016 National Baseline Survey on Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.

He said the circulation of illegal weapons was sustaining violent crimes in different regions, including banditry in the North-West, farmer-herder and communal conflicts in the North-Central, as well as terrorism and insurgency in the North-East.

“The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons is not an abstract policy concern. It is a deadly threat to the safety of our people,” Ribadu said.

He stressed that every incident involving illegal weapons represented a threat to communities, families and livelihoods.

According to the NSA, Nigeria requires accurate and current data to effectively tackle the proliferation of illegal arms instead of relying on outdated estimates.

He said the 2016 baseline survey provided important information on the scale and nature of illicit arms circulation and contributed to the development of government responses, including the establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons and a National Action Plan.

However, Ribadu said the government should conduct an honest review of the previous survey before commencing another nationwide exercise.

He said the review should establish what worked, what failed and what needed to be changed to make a new survey more effective.

Ribadu added that updated and credible data would enable security agencies to track illegal weapons within Nigeria and across its borders, while strengthening arms-control and disarmament efforts.

He called for the involvement of security agencies, federal and state governments, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and local communities.

The Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, DIG Johnson Kokumo (retd.), said Nigeria’s security environment had changed considerably since the 2016 survey.

He noted that new forms of criminality had emerged while trafficking routes had also evolved, making fresh data essential.

Kokumo said the proposed survey should establish the scale, sources, distribution and underlying causes of illicit arms proliferation.

Similarly, the Director and Deputy High Representative of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, Dr Adedeji Ebo, said Nigeria could not adequately assess its current security challenges using data from 2016 alone.

Ebo urged the government to make the exercise comprehensive and inclusive, involving women, youths, farmers, fishers, artisans, community leaders and survivors of armed violence.

He warned that security interventions developed without reliable data could fail to reach areas where they are most urgently required.