The United Nations has raised concerns that weapons looted during Libya’s 2011 conflict have found their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria and other countries across the Sahel, contributing to years of insecurity and instability in the region.
Speaking during a meeting on the proliferation of illicit firearms at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, warned that arms diverted during and after the uprising that ended the rule of Muammar Gaddafi,former Libyan leader continue to fuel violence long after the conflict itself has ended.
She said weapons looted from Libya resurfaced across the wider Sahel region, including in Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, where some were later recovered from extremist groups.
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According to Nakamitsu, the development demonstrates how weapons originating from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later, undermining security and peacebuilding efforts.
