Small Arms And Light Weapons Proliferation In Nigeria: Implication For National Security And Socio-Economic Development

The paper examined the phenomenon of small and light weapons proliferation in Nigeria and its implications for national security and development. It reflected on the dialectical relationship between security and development and argued that the wide spread circulation of small arms and light weapons had exacerbated the already deteriorating security situation in Nigeria. The paper posited that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Nigerian polity fuels unnecessary communal conflicts, causes political instability, prevents the delivery of humanitarian and economic aid, contributes to refugee and internally displaced persons (IDPs) populations, and ultimately undermines national security and development. To curb this menace, the paper suggested that the factors that create the demand for small arms and light weapons and the sources of their illegal supply should be critically looked into with a view to addressing them.