The changing patterns of small and light weapons (SALW) proliferation and the challenges of national security in Nigeria

Abstract

This work tries to examine the changing patterns of the proliferation of Small arms and Light Weapons in the world, Africa and Nigeria in particular, including the menace caused by this ugly phenomenon. The work which relied on carefully selected secondary sources found out a rather dangerous dimension of arms proliferation in sub Saharan Africa and Nigeria in particular, with the Niger Delta region as the epicentre. In the same vein, the study found out that porous borders, excessive use of arms by the police, corruption and sales of arms to civilians by security operatives, poverty and unemployment, resistance movements in the Niger Delta, desperation of politicians, and weak arms control mechanism as some of the factors responsible for massive Small Arms and Light Weapons proliferation in Nigeria. The impact of this menace on Nigeria’s national security cannot be over emphasized. In the light of the foregoing, some policy recommendations were offered to stem this ugly trend.