The United Nations has said that weapons stolen during the 2011 Libyan conflict have found their way into the possession of extremist groups operating in Nigeria.
Speaking at a session on illicit arms proliferation on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York, United States, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN under-secretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, said weapons looted during conflicts often continue to fuel violence long after wars have ended.
Nakamitsu noted that arms taken from Libya in 2011 have resurfaced across the Sahel region, contributing to insecurity in countries including Niger, Burkina Faso, and 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,” Nakamitsu said.
She warned that “Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later.”
According to her, “The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people.”
Nakamitsu further explained that the spread of small arms continues to undermine peacebuilding efforts and fuels insecurity in fragile communities.
She added that weapons kept by armed groups, militias, and even civilians for self-protection can worsen instability and trigger renewed violence.
The UN official also linked illicit arms to human rights violations, terrorism, and gender-based violence, stressing that the issue goes beyond security concerns.
“It is not just a security issue. It is also about peacebuilding. It is about human rights. It is also about development,” Nakamitsu said.
She noted that weapons used in conflicts rarely disappear completely, but continue to circulate across borders and fuel crime.
“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.”
Nakamitsu also raised concerns about emerging threats such as ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms, and advanced trafficking networks, which she said are making arms control more difficult for governments.
“Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace.”