How can Nigeria stop the violence and proliferation of small arms in the Niger Delta? This paper, by the Small Arms Survey, looks at the causes of armed violence in Nigeria, surveying the different armed groups and types of weapons involved. It argues that a key element of addressing insecurity and armed violence is comprehensive security sector reform. A political solution is the only way to resolve the rising armed violence.
The Government of Nigeria faces numerous challenges in tackling the problems of small arms proliferation and armed violence. Some of these challenges are self-imposed and reinforced through greed-based behaviour, others are the result of poor institutional capacity and the complexities of addressing widespread crime and the general situation in the Niger Delta.
In Nigeria, politics are militarised and violence is used as an electoral tool, leading to the inculcation of a culture of violence in society. Armed groups are not a new phenomenon. However, today’s armed groups are better armed, better trained, and increasingly sophisticated in their actions. Armed groups, hired by politicians, have now developed their own economic bases thereby freeing themselves from their political patrons. This has led some groups to engage in the political process themselves. Armed violence is about access to resources, whether through committing crimes, playing on communal tensions, stealing oil, or winning elections.
The government’s response to armed violence has been a twin strategy of development and force. But its development programmes have failed to deliver substantial economic benefits and development progress. And the attempt to meet force with force has provoked an escalation of violence, generated popular support for armed groups and led to an entrenchment of the positions of militants. Furthermore:
- While Nigeria supports international instruments to limit illicit proliferation and has put in place national laws to restrict the ownership and use of small arms, these laws are poorly enforced and largely ineffective in addressing proliferation.
- The inability of the police to provide law and order in the country and the resulting insecurity, has led some individuals and communities to acquire small arms for protection.
- The security situation allows large amounts of funding for security-related issues, but this funding remains uncontrolled by requirements for disclosure.
- This provides an easy source of money for corruption and provides politicians with money that allows them to use violence as a tool of political control by purchasing the services of armed thugs.
The Nigerian government needs to engage in a comprehensive reform programme and involve key leaders in the military and police in order to implement any strategic reform programme.
- Without addressing the key issues of resource control and distribution, armed violence will persist.
- A military response will only escalate the problem.
- The government should engage in a political solution through dialogue.
