Impact of Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in North-Central Nigeria

Attah Amana Philip ,Haruna Paul Ogwu

doi:10.7176/rhss/10-18-02

Abstract

This study was funded by the Nigeria Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), in respect of years 2011 – 2014 TETFund Research grant. The authors thank and appreciate the Management of TETFund, and the Federal Polytechnic Idah Kogi Nigeria, for making this research work a reality Abstract There have been increased security challenges across the globe over the years and several measures have been initiated to curb these challenges but it seems not to have been brought to a standstill. This study on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons is carried out to examine the economic and health challenges bedeviling North-Central Nigeria. The study adopts research survey design and the respondents are victims and other stake-holders in selected internal displaced persons (IDPS) camp in North-Central, Nigeria. The total population is 34870 but a sample size of 380 was adopted using the Cochran sample size determination technique. However, out of the total respondents numbering 380 reached, only 352 respondents was used in analyzing data which is 93% retrieval rate. The respondents were reached using structured questionnaire and a five point’s likert scale as well as mean was adopted in analyzing data. More so, the hypotheses were tested using regression. The research revealed that, there is a significant positive relationship between proliferations of small arms and light weapons, economic lives and health care services to the citizens of North-Central Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommends that economic stimulus packages be integrated and vigorously implemented by government as well as other critical stakeholders. Finally, the study recommends that special intervention funds be provided to address the health challenges resulting from the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. This measure will go a long way to assuage the effects of arms proliferation on the citizens of North-Central Nigeria. Keywords: Arms, Proliferation, Economic, Health, Weapons. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-18-02 Publication date: September 30 th 2020

Highlights

Many a times, little internal insurrection tends to escalate into larger civil wars and could destabilize a region (Kevin, 2007:23)
United Nations General Assembly on 8 December 2005, defines small arms and light weapons as: any manportable lethal weapon that expels or launches, is designed to expel or launch, or could be transformed to launch or dispense a shot, bullet or projectile through the action of an explosive, excluding antique small arms and light weapons or their replicas. The proliferations of this arms in Nigeria come from local fabrication, residue of guns used during the civil war, thefts from government armories’, smuggling, dishonest government-accredited importers, ethnic militias, insurgents from neighboring countries, and this have reek a lots of havork in the country which have effected human and economic development; social spending and public health system and mortality rate, knowledge and education, income and standard of living, and community participation (Heinrich, 2006)
The findings show that Nigeria hosts about 350 million or 70 percent of 500 million illegal arms circulating in West Africa (Daily Trust, 11th August 2016)

Summary

Introduction

Little internal insurrection tends to escalate into larger civil wars and could destabilize a region (Kevin, 2007:23). United Nations General Assembly on 8 December 2005, defines small arms and light weapons as: any manportable lethal weapon that expels or launches, is designed to expel or launch, or could be transformed to launch or dispense a shot, bullet or projectile through the action of an explosive, excluding antique small arms and light weapons or their replicas The proliferations of this arms in Nigeria come from local fabrication, residue of guns used during the civil war, thefts from government armories’, smuggling, dishonest government-accredited importers, ethnic militias, insurgents from neighboring countries, and this have reek a lots of havork in the country which have effected human and economic development; social spending and public health system and mortality rate, knowledge and education, income and standard of living, and community participation (Heinrich, 2006). Report of armed attack on health care between 2014 and 2015 indicates that, Health facility 65% and 61%, health care provider 25% and 29%, health care transport 6% and 7%, health recipients 4% and 2%, health care entity 1% and 1% (World Health Organization 2016)

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Conclusion