Personality, Arms and Crime: The Psychological Dynamics of Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation in Africa

Abstract

The continent of Africa was from its inception plagued by violence, conflicts, wars, instability and general underdevelopment, mainly as a result of Europe’s colonization of Africa and slave trade. This chapter broadly explored the nature of the Psychological dynamics of small arms and light weapons proliferation in Africa and Nigeria in particular. Accordingly, the Psychological influences of personality disposition and crime, family interaction and crime, environmental experience and crime, mass media and crime and cognitive processes and criminal behaviour were explored in great detail. The outcome of the review indicated that across Africa and Nigeria in particular regardless of regional, ethnic or religious peculiarities, a major cause of violent conflict has been the overt acts of discrimination meted to citizens who have been classified as non-indigenes or settlers in different parts of their country. It also indicated that conflict has continued to grow both in prevalence, incidence, intensity including the proliferation of small arms and light weapons with rising cost to the society. Nigeria in particular, with more than 250 ethnic linguistic groups and a product of British colonial conquest, is still grappling with challenges of political instability, socio-economic crisis, conflicts—in particular, citizenship-related conflict represent a major threat to the nation’s developmental aspiration and challenges of weaving together divergent groups is further compounded by the relentless assault on the right of citizens as a result of dichotomy between the notion of citizenship and indigeneship. The chapter drew conclusions as: The phenomenon of Small Arms and Light Weapons proliferation seems to know no borders or bound in Africa; during conflict, the structures of SALW circulation have integrated into economic structures; Small Arms and Light Weapons proliferation had affected Africa, including the destabilization of the Sahel region after the pillaging of Libya’s arsenals, which contained the world’s largest accumulation of man-portable air defence systems; and the Psychological trauma caused by illegal circulation of weapons of mass destruction in the African continent including Nigeria, had left indelible scars on the psyche of individuals, families and groups which are now difficult to erase. Recommendations for structural adjustment and policy administration for unravelling this phenomenon requires: Total human and financial resources, strong institutions and governments, psychosocial intervention, and proactive engagement of civil society actors. The chapter also recommended for thoroughly screening and assessment processes for all political office holders to ensure they are free from criminal tendencies, personality disorders and are well-motivated to serve the nation with integrity.