The United Nations (UN) has revealed that some weapons stolen during Libya’s 2011 conflict later found their way into the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria and other countries in the Sahel region.
Speaking at a meeting on the spread of illicit firearms at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Izumi Nakamitsu stated: “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.
“Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later.”
Nakamitsu further stressed: “The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people.”
The UN official noted that the spread of small arms can undermine peacebuilding efforts and contribute to renewed instability, especially when weapons remain in the possession of armed groups, militias, or communities seeking self-protection.
She also linked the proliferation of illicit firearms to terrorism, human rights violations, and sexual and gender-based violence.
“It is not just a security issue. It is also about peacebuilding. It is about human rights. It is also about development,” Nakamitsu said.
The UN representative further warned that weapons used in conflicts often continue to move across borders, fuelling criminal activities long after fighting has ended.
“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 increasingly sophisticated weapons-trafficking networks, saying such developments make it more difficult for authorities to trace illegal weapons.
