Libya’s Lost Weapons Fuel Extremism In Nigeria, Sahel – UN Warns
A decade after the fall of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, weapons looted during the 2011 conflict are still fuelling insecurity across West Africa, with some ending up in the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria, the United Nations has warned.
The United Nations has raised fresh concerns over the long-term security consequences of Libya’s 2011 civil war, revealing that weapons looted during the conflict have been recovered from extremist groups in Nigeria and other countries across the Sahel.
Speaking at a meeting on illicit firearms proliferation at the UN headquarters in New York, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, said arms diverted during and after the uprising that toppled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi continue to fuel violence and instability across the region.
According to her, weapons looted from Libya resurfaced in countries including Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, where some were later traced to extremist groups.
Nakamitsu warned that the circulation of small arms and light weapons remains one of the most persistent threats to peace, security and development, noting that firearms retained by armed groups, militias and self-defence communities often prolong cycles of violence long after conflicts have ended.
She also highlighted emerging threats posed by ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms and increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks, which make it more difficult for authorities to trace and monitor illicit weapons.
The UN official stressed that illegal arms proliferation is linked not only to terrorism and organised crime but also to human rights abuses, sexual and gender-based violence, and broader development challenges.
Her remarks come amid ongoing concerns over the spread of illicit weapons in West Africa, with security experts repeatedly linking arms flows from Libya to the growing strength of terrorist and criminal groups operating across the region.
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