THE SMUGGLE AND PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS (SALW) WITHIN THE WEST AFRICAN SUB-REGION. A CONTEMPORARY APPRAISAL

Abstract

The global scenario of smuggling of arms and light weapons has made states, authors, professionals, academicians, businessmen and the society to offer different perceptions, opinions and interpretations to the smuggling of arms and the light weapons. Smuggling of arms and light weapons across the borders is a catalyst to the development of ethnic militia and armed conflicts in the sub-region. It promotes availability of illegal arms and light weapons, it flourishes and increases levels of community violence and promotes criminal activities such as armed robbery, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, assassinations. The study examined the challenges and effects of smuggling small arms and light weapons in West Africa sub-region and, by extension Nigeria. The study is anchored on secondary data. The findings revealed that porous Nigeria's borders, corrupt practices by the security agencies, inadequate manpower, poor logistics support, inadequate provision of basic amenities are some of the factors that promotes the smuggling of arms and light weapons in Nigeria. Again, political instability in the neighboring countries and high level of poverty aid smuggling of small arms and light weapons. The study among other things recommended that border cooperation among countries in West Africa and the need for government to improve welfare packages of security so as to enable them perform their duty optimally in order to suppress smuggling of small arms and light weapons across the borders are germane amongst others factors.