CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
The end of the Cold War generated worldwide optimism for international peace and security. A shift from superpower proxy conflicts in the Third World to socio-economic development appeared a viable project. However, actual events in recent years have disastrously shattered those expectations. In place of enhanced security, virulent internal conflicts accompanied by unprecedented civilian casualties and gross violations of human rights have emerged at an alarming rate, Stockholm International and Peace Research Institute (2000 pg, 12). The local roots and causes of the conflicts are numerous and diverse. However, in nearly all of the conflicts, the diffusion of small arms, particularly from the industrialized nations to the developing world has played a decisive role in the escalation, intensification and widespread of these conflicts. In the last decade, Liberia and Sierra Leone have been embroiled in protracted civil wars; Guinea-Bissau experienced a brief internecine conflict in the late 1990s. Casamance separatists have continued to battle the Senegalese as they have done for two decades, Cote d’Ivoire suffers insurrection, Tuareg problem has simmered in Mali and Niger, and Liberia and Guinea continue to accuse each other of launching cross-border raids against their territories, in a conflict also involving Sierra Leone rebels. The ongoing Darfur crises in Sudan are also another clear case of diffusing small arms and light weapons, (Geneva’s Declaration Secretariat 2011, pg 1-2). Thus, in contrast to the conventional view inherited from the Cold War era, emerging violence attest to the role of weapons as stimulus to conflict and a harbinger of massive human rights violation and humanitarian crises.
In many cases, the availability of weapons has engendered violent conflicts. Thanks to advancing globalization and the new private order, the trafficking in light arms has made them a weapon of choice. Illicit arms transfer is not a particular country’s problem nor does the spread of deadly weapons stop at national borders. Guns and small arms are no longer the preserves of militaries and police force but have fallen into the hands of ordinary criminals, terrorists, ethnic militias and death squads around the world, (The Nigeria Firearms Act 1959). Globalization is becoming an ever-influential “architect” of the new international security agenda. Its impact on the evolution of the relations among states is contradictory. On the one hand, globalization contributes to accelerated development of productive forces, scientific and technological progress and ever more intensive communication among states and people. On the other hand, it has facilitated the easy transportation of illegal arms from one country to the other and has transformed a domestic law and order problem to a national and international security threat. Globalization results in the long term irreversible contraction in the domain of state authority. Coupled with liberalization, states have in effect lost control of markets as reflected in the development of parallel informal economics, the rise of grey and black markets and the inability of the states to prevent the flow of illicit arms because of the porous nature of most borders and the adoption of policies such as “free movements” of people in a particular region.
Evidence indicates that illegal arms transfers are easier in periods of political transition that are normally preceded by periods of violence, The National Committee on Proliferation and Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCPTAW) 2000. The state then focuses it resources in areas of reconstruction and development only, leaving gaps for the illicit transfer of small arms by crime syndicates. Nigeria’s fourth Republic has witnessed the upsurge of communal conflicts. Years of pent-up anger suppressed by prolonged periods of military misrule found outlets as Nigeria joined the third democratic wave. It is not arms that cause these conflicts, but the ease with which these arms are available, leads to easy escalation of festering conflicts.
1.1 Backgrounds to the Study
One of the fundamental obstacles to national peace and security in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is the presence and continued proliferation of what is called small arms and light weapons (SAWL) Krause (1993). This constitutes a major source of destruction to lives and properties and exacerbates inter-communal tensions leading to full fledge conflicts. Most of the West African borders in particular are porous, thus, making it easy for entry and exit of arms, drugs as well as traffic of humans. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons is adjudged as the most immediate security challenge to individuals, society, and states worldwide, fueling civil wars, organized criminal violence, insurgency and terrorist activities posing great obstacles to sustainable security and development, (Geneva’s Declaration Secretariat 2011, pg 1-2). Many at times, small insurgencies tends to developed into large civil wars and possibly destabilize an entire region. This trend especially in Africa is attributed to the weakness and fragile nature of the state and their attendant’s failure to deliver governance. Small arms and light weapons trafficked into one country are forcibly used to displace civilians, impede humanitarian assistance, prevent or delay development projects, and hinder peace keeping and peace building efforts. When conflicts end or subside, small arms often remain in circulation, which may lead to additional violence and suffering, since conflicts can erupt in neighboring region through the circulation of arms. In non conflict areas, small arms may be used in criminal violence or may be used in homicide; suicides etc. and they are frequently the primary tools of terrorist.
A vast number of arms are in public and private hands. According to small arms survey, there are at least 875 million firearms in the world (small arms survey, 2007). There are more than 1,200 companies in 90 countries that produce small arms (small arms survey 2004). Small arms and light weapons (SAWL) kill between 500,000 and 750,000 people annually and are a “contributory factors to armed conflict, the displacement of people, organized crime and terrorism, thereby undermining peace, reconciliation, safety, security, stability and sustainable social and economic development” (Geneva Declaration Secretariat 2011, 1-2). It is equally responsible for fueling crime and sustaining armed conflicts the world over, facilitating terrorism and creating anarchy after civil wars. Burundi, Ghana, Yemen, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Cote D’Ivoire, and Guinea are few of many countries that suffer from this menace (Malhotra, 2011. p.3).
The proliferation of these small arms and the new emergence in violence in the region put to question the efficacy and general commitment of the region in combating the menace. It was established that there are estimated 7 million SALW in the West African sub-region of which 77,000 are in the hands of major West African insurgent groups. SALW have particularly fuelled conflicts in Nigeria which Nigeria is still struggling to survive the ongoing conflicts which small arms trafficking plays a central and destabilizing role for instance the Niger Delta, the OPC as well as the Boko-Haram and the herdsmen farmers conflicts to mention but just a few. The growing arms trafficking in geometric progression poses a serious threat and challenge to the Nigeria exacerbating human suffering, threaten peace, security, and sustainable development. It was hoped that, at the end of the cold war, there will be guaranteed worldwide optimism for international peace and security. It is disheartening to rediscover that, actual events in recent years have disastrously shattered those expectations. In place of enhanced security, virulent internal conflicts accompanied by unprecedented civilian casualties and gross violation of human rights have emerged at an alarming rate. The local roots and causes of conflicts are numerous and diverse. However, in nearly all these conflicts, the diffusion of small arms has played a decisive role in the escalation, intensification and resolution of these conflicts. In contrast to the conventional view inherited from the cold war era, emerging violence attest to the role of weapons as stimulus to conflicts and a harbinger of massive human rights violation and humanitarian crisis. In many cases, the availability of weapons has engendered violent conflicts, which otherwise may not have occurred. The influx of globalization to a large extent has made the accessibility of small arms cheap, simply and an issue of choice. Illicit arms transfer is not a particular country’s problem, nor does the spread of deadly weapons stop at national borders, globalization has legalized these phenomena.
Guns and small arms are no longer the preserves of militias and police force but have fallen into the hands of ordinary criminals, terrorists, ethnic militias and death squads around the world. What is noteworthy is that while leaders and nations, given the experience of two world wars had concentrated on placing restrictions on the sale and transfer of big and conventional weapons, small arms proliferation was tragically ignored. Even major research centers like Stockholm International and Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) of Stockholm have not undertaken any major study on the spread of small arms. Most researchers over the past decades have focused on the transfer of conventional weapons like tanks, heavy artillery, aircraft, warships and missiles. The fundamental implications of arms trafficking and arms accumulation and circulation is in its tendency to pave way for higher risk of armed violence. The supply of arms stimulates violence instead of dialogue and has many undesirable effects. For example, high level of armed violence hinders development, causes diversion of local resources, misuse of public money or imposition of “Might Right”. The interdependence of small arms control, security and development suggests that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of war which is conducive to the production and distribution of small arms. It prevents people from conducting business, leading to reduction trade and foreign investment. SAWL fuels the illicit trafficking of natural resources such as oil, minerals and timbers.
1.2 Statement of Problem
In Africa, the proliferation of small arms is increasing in proportion. The balances of small arms traded are the remnants of conflicts in Mozambique and Angola, as well as licensed weapons being stolen or lost. These small arms have played a major role in exacerbating crimes and armed violence. Africa is also a major transshipment point for the international trade, as well as a major producer of local arms. This phenomenon threatens the consolidation of democracy and security in the region, which is necessary for sustainable development. With this trend, Nigeria which is regarded as the giant of Africa both in her economic, military, fame as well as the most populous Black Country in the world suffers the menace of arms trafficking in all the West African states. Presently, Nigeria has the most dangerous terrorist groups in the whole West Africa and is the most corrupt, insecure, and terrorist country in West Africa and compete favorably with countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia etc talking about the militancy in the Niger Delta region, the IPOB in the East, the OPC of the Yoruba’s in the western region, the Boko Haram as well as herdsmen in the northern region etc. all these groups uses small arms and light weapons as well as rifles smuggled in to the country to carry out their criminal activities.
The activities of Boko Haram in the Northeast have resulted in the death of approximately one million innocent civilians, and injured more than two thousand, more than one million internally displaced (ID), thousands have lost their homes, job, and family and love ones. Number of military personnel that loss their lives in the course of confronting this sect cannot be mention at the moment. Churches are burned, army barracks, police stations and head quarters as well as navy and air force base are attack without fear of reprisal, motor packs, prisons and schools are not left out to be attacked by the Boko Haram with the aid of SALW. Likewise, the recent herdsmen and famer’s clashes have also claim thousands of innocent famers live through the use of SALW, (Bureau of statistics 2017).
In other hand, the Niger Delta militants and the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), through their access to small arms and light weapons, have also claims lives and properties of the people in the region and posed serious security threat to the nation national security (Azaiki 2003: 147).
