Introduction
Like the majority of countries in Africa, Nigeria has had its share of problems regarding small arms and the violence they fuel. From the oil-rich delta region of river Niger to the common thug in the streets of Lagos, access to small arms is a non-issue if you can afford it. The Nigerian government is doing what it can to empower the law enforcement agencies, but like most police forces in Africa they lack the proper equipment and funding to go after these gun runners who are profiting from the trade (Hazen & Horner 123).
Origin of the Problem
Most of these small arms originate from the former Soviet republics those that possess large stockpiles from the cold war era. With the collapse of the Berlin wall, these AK-47s and RPGs were supposed to be stored in depots in countries like Ukraine but the emergence of various conflicts in Africa over natural resources like oil and diamonds created another arms race where only the gun smugglers were profiting. It is worth noting that a large number of armed forces especially in the third world countries also rely on small arms in the black market to equip their soldiers since buying an M-16 or a light anti-tank weapon in the open market is just too expensive(Hazen & Horner 123).
The cycle of violence in Nigeria around the period of general elections also worsens the situation. Politicians usually ask for more funds from the federal government to beef up security but these funds are diverted and used to buy weapons for their local militias. These militias are nowadays becoming more independent as they have found ways to source funds without the help of politicians meaning they can push their agendas without running for office (Hazen & Horner 127).
The Niger Delta with its vast oil reserves is probably Nigeria’s most important natural resource. With oil revenues in the region of 130 billion dollars spread out over the last 30years, the increased militarization of the various splinter groups operating from this region is something that worries the government. A study that was carried out in 2003 by an international consultancy firm stated that an average of 1000 people is killed in the oil-rich region of the Niger Delta each year. Also, Nigeria’s long coastline is a major smuggling route for small arms(Hazen & Horner 143).
Actions Taken By The Government
The position of the Nigerian government has always been to call for a ban on the trafficking of small arms not only in Nigeria but across the continent. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo called for an international body to monitor the illegal trade of firearms in his address at the UN General assembly in 2005. If the sale of firearms could be carried out in the open market and tougher restrictions are introduced in this trade, it would be easier to go after the gun smugglers and the lords of war who fuel most conflicts in Africa (Muggah 34).
Nigeria is also a member of ECOWAS which called for a freeze on the manufacture and trade of firearms in West Africa in 1998. The government subsequently set up a committee to enforce this resolution. With the help of the security agencies and the military, a coordinated effort led to the recovery of more than 8,000 small arms. In another incident, the Nigerian customs officials impounded a lorry carrying 170,000 rounds of ammunition after it had crossed the border from Benin (Muggah 38).
Resolution
The Nigerian government is aware of the problem of small arms problem in the country requires a political solution and even though the security forces can be given better resources and pay to improve their morale; this will only solve part of the problem since there are numerous allegations of corruption involving the police. The issues raised by the militias, like the MEND in the Niger Delta, can be better tackled if an understanding is reached on equitable distribution of resources (Hazen & Horner 135).
Tougher legislation needs to be introduced to oversee the various lobby groups that contribute to political parties as it is this cash that is used to fund some of these militias. Finally, the launching of The Nigeria Action Network on Small Arms will hopefully go a long way in sensitizing members of the public on the dangers of the proliferation of small arms and the urgency for their control.
Works Cited
Jennifer Hazen with Jonas Horner: Small Arms, Armed Violence, and Insecurity in Nigeria: The Niger Delta in Perspective, published by Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva 2007 p 123-145.
Robert Muggah (Ed) co-published with BICC: No Refuge: The Crisis of Refugee Militarization in Africa: published by Zed Books, 2006. p 23-67.