Illegal weapons are fueling Nigeria’s insecurity crisis
Nigeria is home to 70% of West Africa’s 11 million illegal small arms and light weapons, according to the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
Mr. Alex Ebimiebo, NCCSALW’s South South Zonal Director, made the statement during a seminar hosted by the Naval War College in Calabar. He emphasized that the unchecked spread of illegal weapons has deepened national insecurity and is directly linked to the country’s 2.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and over 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.
“This affects everyone”: NCCSALW calls for collective action
Ebimiebo noted that the issue goes beyond law enforcement and requires all Nigerians to get involved.
“Everybody is a stakeholder,” he said. “We need to involve the whole society in this fight.”
NCCSALW is currently rolling out advocacy and public sensitization programs across the country in collaboration with other security agencies.
Porous borders and maritime gaps fueling arms smuggling
Rear Admiral Akinola Oludude, Commandant of the Naval War College, pointed to Nigeria’s extensive land and sea borders—over 4,400 km of land boundaries and 853 km of coastline—as key enablers of illicit arms trafficking.
He referenced a 2021 NCCSALW survey estimating that over six million illegal weapons are in circulation in Nigeria, with around 70% of them held by non-state actors.
“These weapons are the fuel behind terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery,” Oludude said.
Inter-agency collaboration seen as critical solution
No single agency can fix this on its own, Oludude stressed. Instead, he advocated for a joint, multi-agency approach that brings military, police, and civil institutions together to disrupt weapons networks.
“This seminar is a crucial platform to understand and tackle this issue collectively,” he added.
Concrete action must follow talk, says Naval chief
Rear Admiral Kennedy Ezete, Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, challenged seminar participants to turn their insights into real action.
“Take what you’ve learned back to your agencies and put it into practice,” he urged. “It’s not just about discussions—it’s about implementation, partnerships, and persistence.”
Ezete also emphasized the importance of continued investment in intelligence, training, and modern technology to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to stop the flow of illegal weapons.
