How Libya’s stolen weapons ended up with terrorists in Nigeria — UN raises alarm

• The UN says weapons looted from Libya are now being used by terrorists in Nigeria.

• Arms were reportedly trafficked across porous Sahel borders after the 2011 Libya conflict.

• The proliferation of small arms is worsening insecurity across West Africa.

• The UN calls for stronger international cooperation to curb illicit arms flows.

The United Nations has warned that weapons looted from Libya following the country’s 2011 civil war have continued to circulate across the Sahel region and are now being used by terrorist groups operating in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.

The warning was issued by a senior United Nations disarmament official, who raised concern over the long-term security consequences of the collapse of Libya’s arms control systems after the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

According to the UN, large stockpiles of weapons were either looted or diverted during the conflict, creating one of the most significant uncontrolled arms flows in recent decades.

The official explained that many of these weapons were subsequently trafficked across porous borders in the Sahel, where armed groups and criminal networks continue to operate with limited resistance.

The UN said some of the weapons have now been traced to extremist groups active in Nigeria, worsening an already fragile security situation in parts of the country.

The development highlights how instability in one country can have long-term regional consequences, particularly in regions where border security is weak and armed groups are highly mobile.

The Sahel region, which includes countries such as Mali, Niger, and Chad, has remained a major transit route for illicit arms, with Nigeria also affected due to its extensive land borders and ongoing internal security challenges.

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The UN reiterated the need for stronger international cooperation to track and control illicit arms flows, improve border security, and reduce the availability of weapons to non-state armed groups.

It also stressed that addressing the root causes of instability in post-conflict regions remains critical to preventing the spread of weapons into other conflict zones.

The warning adds to ongoing concerns about terrorism and armed violence in Nigeria, where security forces continue to battle multiple armed groups across different regions.