Gun Wave

Gun problem in Nigeria stands at the intersection of violence and conflict. Multiple activities of gunmen and the proliferation of arms have shown that gun violence is a significant enabler of security risks in Nigeria. The northeast, northwest and northcentral zones troubled by insurgency and banditry has witnessed dozens of gun-wielding armed men. Down south, cult violence has led to bloody shootouts, and the activities of \”unknown gunmen\” has implicated security in the zone, especially targeted gun attacks on security personnel. Recently, gunmen killed four people in Imo state and 17 in Benue. On 19th August 2021, a suspected firearms supplier was arrested in Abuja. In Delta state, a gang of cultists and robbers were also arrested with arms.

Despite security measures, gun violence is largely unabated. Due to escalating security threats, securitisation efforts have been increased to improve the efficiency of security measures. The creation of Multinational Joint Task Force, Civilian Joint Task Force and other regional and state-level security frameworks have not stopped the proliferation of arms and activities of gunmen. Indeed, new calls are for people to own guns and defend themselves against wanton terror. The calls for guns, if heeded, will add to the rapid gun proliferation in Nigeria.

Combat operations are not enough to end gun violence. While security engagements are necessary to wage war against armed groups, proactive efforts must stop the easy access to guns. In 2013, African Union member-states representatives gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and adopted the \”Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020\”. Eight years down the line, conflict in the African continent has grown. From Burkina Faso to Burundi-Rwanda, The Gambia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mozambique violent conflicts rages. The ongoing Sahel violence is another tough challenge for the continent and her development partners. Boko Haram insurgency, which started in Northeast Nigeria, has spread to Chad, Niger and Cameroon. The task to silence guns in Africa, especially for Nigeria, has become increasingly difficult. Therefore, government must look into the drive to access guns as a necessity towards survival or a means to pursue publicly undesirous activities.

Nigeria must commit to managing structural vulnerabilities that heighten the need for guns. The continuous inclination to bear arms largely stems from insecurity, unbalanced allocation distribution framework, grievances and a flawed criminal justice system. Efforts must be focused on managing small-scale conflicts such as communal wars and gang wars and increasing the efficiency of security personnel. These efforts will discourage resort to self-help and group-level armed defence systems. The gun demand and its proliferation will reduce when there is fewer resort to violent conflict.

Tighter borders will help to regulate weapons’ proliferation. In 2020, while lamenting the state of the struggling Sahel region, President Buhari held that only God could effectively supervise the 1,400 kilometres of borders between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger. Nigeria’s illegal borders have created leeway for arms smuggling and the movement of gunmen across the nation. Also, non-state armed groups\’ access to guns has benefitted from the country\’s porous borders with her West African neighbours. Nigeria must lead the call for a regional partnership towards border security. The regional collaboration must prioritise efforts to close and monitor illegal entry points. While existing efforts have been made to securitise Nigeria’s borders with her neighbours, they should be improved. The regional border collaborations must be enhanced to increase information and resource sharing between the intervening countries.