…Disarmament Chief Warns of Lasting Security Threat Across Sahel
The United Nations has revealed that weapons looted during the 2011 conflict in Libya eventually found their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria, underscoring the long-term security consequences of illicit arms proliferation across the Sahel region.
The disclosure was made by the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, during discussions on the global spread of illegal firearms and their impact on international peace and security at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Nakamitsu warned that weapons diverted or stolen during armed conflicts often continue to fuel violence years after hostilities have ended, contributing to terrorism, organised crime and instability across national borders.
According to her, arms looted during the uprising that toppled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi resurfaced in several countries in the wider Sahel region, including Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.
“Libya, where weapons 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,” she said.
The UN official noted that some of the weapons were subsequently recovered from extremist groups operating in the region, demonstrating how arms originating from a single conflict can continue to threaten security in neighbouring countries many years later.
“Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later,” Nakamitsu stated.
She stressed that the end of a conflict does not necessarily bring an end to the circulation of weapons used during the war, noting that such arms often remain in circulation and continue to endanger lives.
Nakamitsu described the continued spread of illicit firearms as a major obstacle to peacebuilding efforts, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected societies.
She explained that weapons retained by armed groups, militias and even communities seeking self-defence can contribute to renewed cycles of violence and insecurity.
The UN disarmament chief further linked the proliferation of small arms and light weapons to terrorism, human rights abuses, organised crime 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.
According to Nakamitsu, weapons used during armed conflicts frequently remain outside government control after wars end, enabling them to be trafficked across borders and used in criminal activities in different regions.
“Wars end, but unfortunately, the weapons that are used in that particular conflict would not be under full control. They continue to circulate. They are sometimes hidden. They are brought across borders,” she added.
She also raised concerns over emerging challenges posed by technological advances in illicit arms production and trafficking, including ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms and increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks.
Nakamitsu noted that such developments are making it more difficult for authorities to trace and intercept illegal weapons.
“Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace,” she said.
The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern over the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons across the Sahel, warning that the trend continues to fuel terrorism, armed conflict, organised crime and regional instability.
Security experts have long linked the uncontrolled movement of weapons from post-conflict Libya to the worsening security situation in parts of West and Central Africa, where armed groups continue to exploit porous borders and weak enforcement mechanisms.
The latest warning by the UN reinforces calls for stronger regional cooperation, improved border security and more effective arms-control measures to curb the flow of illicit weapons across the continent.
