Looted Libyan weapons ended up with terror groups in Nigeria, says UN

The United Nations has revealed that some of the weapons looted during Libya’s 2011 conflict eventually made their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria.

Speaking at a meeting on the proliferation of illicit firearms at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, said weapons stolen during conflicts often continue to fuel violence long after wars have ended.

Nakamitsu said weapons looted during the 2011 conflict in Libya resurfaced across the Sahel region and have caused devastation across peaceful communities.

“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,” Nakamitsu said.

“Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring 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.”

She added that small arms proliferation can undermine peacebuilding efforts.

The high representative for disarmament affairs noted that weapons retained by armed groups, militias, and communities for self-protection can contribute to renewed violence and instability.

She 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,” Nakamitsu said.

The under-secretary general said weapons used in conflict would continue to circulate, crossing borders and fuelling crime.

“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.”

She added that the emergence of ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms, and sophisticated trafficking networks are creating new challenges for governments worldwide.

“Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace.”

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