Nov 13, 2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
On Sunday, the Libyan National Army (LNA) managed to foil an arms smuggling
operation to Niger, according to Libya’s Al-Watan news website.
Al-Watan news reported that a Nigerian weapons smuggler was arrested by a reconnaissance unit of the 676th Infantry Battalion in the town of Umm Al Aranib.
Security sources told Al-Watan news that the operation followed a
meticulous inspection at the checkpoint in the “Tahwela” gateway between Umm Al
Aranib and Majdol.
According to the source, the smuggler was carrying significant quantities
of ammunition and Kalashnikov rifles, bound for Niger.
The suspect is currently held at the unit’s headquarters, and will be
transferred to the relevant authorities for appropriate legal action.
Notably, experts reveal in a recent report that small arms and light
weapons illicitly leaked from Libya have flooded Nigeria’s markets, leading to
their sale “becoming as commonplace as rice.”
The African Defense Forum magazine, published by the US military’s Africa
Command (AFRICOM), highlighted the rise in road-related activities, due to
increased demand for these weapons. This is driven by political instability,
and the surge in extremist groups in the region.
The report pointed out to the complex factors contributing to the
proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the coastal and West African
regions. This includes political instability, conflicts between farmers and
herders, ethnic divisions, and the emergence of armed groups.
Oluwole Ojoeli, the Coordinator of the Regional Observatory on Organised
Crime at the Oluwole Institute, emphasised that the emergence of armed groups
has significantly increased the demand for small arms and light weapons in the
region.
Idris Mohammed, CEO of the Suluhu for Development initiative, a
non-governmental humanitarian organisation, considers political instability a
major driver of arms trafficking in northern Nigeria, the Lake Chad region, and
Burkina Faso.
Mohammed, a native of northwest Nigeria, noted that many of the weapons in
circulation today were leaked from the massive arsenal once owned by the late
Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. He recalled a period around 2012 or 2013 when
sophisticated weapons could be purchased for as little as $10 US dollars,
comparing the ease of buying weapons to shopping for rice or corn in the local
market.
Crimes related to roadways and persistent conflicts between farmers and
herders are driving people to purchase weapons for self-defence, particularly
when they feel their government is incapable of protecting them. Mohammed
emphasised that the trade is thriving due to border loopholes, security lapses,
and corruption.
Libya has been marked by political instability and violent conflict since
the fall of Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring,
Libya fell into a prolonged civil war, resulting in divided authorities,
economic collapse, and a humanitarian crisis.
In February, Libyan security forces announced the seizure of “advanced and
dangerous weapons” that were hidden in the desert, and due to be smuggled to
Egypt.
The Director of the Tobruk Security Directorate in eastern Libya, said in a
press briefing that the “weapons were seized in the southeastern region, in the
village of Jaghbub, after we monitored suspicious movements in the region.”
He added that the weapons were confiscated, and called on citizens to “take
advantage of the seven-day deadline granted by the Ministry of the Interior to
hand over their weapons.”
Libya al Hadath, Libya Review,