Weapons looted during Libya conflict ended up with terrorists in Nigeria – UN
The United Nations has revealed that weapons looted during the 2011 conflict in Libya eventually found their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria and other countries in the Sahel region.
The disclosure was made by the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, during a discussion at the UN Headquarters in New York on the global spread of illicit firearms and their impact on peace and security.
Nakamitsu warned that weapons diverted, stolen or looted during armed conflicts often continue to fuel violence long after hostilities have ended, contributing to instability, terrorism and organised crime across national borders.
According to her, arms looted during the uprising that toppled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi resurfaced years later in several countries across the Sahel, including Nigeria.
“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,” she said.
She noted that some of the weapons were subsequently recovered from extremist groups operating in the region, underscoring how arms from one conflict can continue to threaten security in neighbouring countries years later.
“Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later,” Nakamitsu stated.
“The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people.”
The UN official stressed that the continued circulation of illicit firearms remains a major obstacle to peacebuilding efforts, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected societies.
She explained that weapons retained by armed groups, militias and even local communities for self-defence purposes often contribute to recurring cycles of violence and instability.
Nakamitsu further warned that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons is closely linked to terrorism, organised crime, human rights violations 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,” she said.
The UN disarmament chief noted that weapons used during armed conflicts frequently remain outside government control after wars end, allowing them to move across borders and fuel criminal activities in different regions.
“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 also highlighted emerging threats posed by technological advancements in illicit arms production and trafficking, including the rise of ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms and increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks.
According to Nakamitsu, these developments are making it more difficult for authorities to trace and intercept illegal weapons.
“Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace,” she added.
The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern over the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons across the Sahel, warning that they continue to fuel terrorism, armed conflict, organised crime and regional instability.