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Proliferation of illicit arms and control mechanisms in Nigeria: A critical socioeconomic analysis

The study addresses the question of illicit weapons proliferation and many diverse control measures undertaken to counteract it in Nigeria. It further explores the reasons why Nigeria has become an appealing target for illicit weapons in the West African sub-region. Given the ease of in-flows and out-flows of illicit arms within the borders of the Nigerian State, this study contends that Nigeria’s firearms law is outdated and insufficient, especially as seen from the perspective of the Protocol to the arms trade agreement that is in force, and even in the light of the dynamics of security issues in the 21 st century. The study demon-strates that the growing proliferation of illicit weapons in Nigeria has had economic, hu manitarian and socio-political consequences. Therefore, it concludes that all the regional containment measures, from ECOWAS to weapons trading agreements, have not decreased the proliferation of illicit arms in Nigeria and that the Nigeria’s Firearms Act is outdated and unsuitable for the security needs