Abstract
The changing trend of national and international threats to national security is occasioned by the evolution and development of new factors in the internal and external environment of the Nigerian state. The security of the Nigerian state is aimed at protecting the national integrity of the state and defending the essential values that constitute Nigerian identity. Nigeria is rated high in the regional debate for the control of small arms and light weapons and illegal trade. For more than a decade, diplomatic activity to contain arms and ammunition transfers has been animated by a concern with instability and crises generated in the continent many years back. Leading think tanks, research groups, and advocacy organizations have repeatedly drawn attention to the way the burden of armed violence in Northern Nigeria is a product of high porous borders and low-tech assault by the Nigerian government. The methodology was based on the use of secondary data. The secondary data were collected from textbooks, journals, magazines, periodicals, internet, etc. We started by dwelling on the entire technicality where we posed four research questions, stated four specific objectives, and four research hypotheses. We, also, demonstrated the theoretical and empirical relevance or justifications of this study. We also reviewed the related extent and relevant literature concerning causes, sources, transits and destinations of SALW and problems and consequences of SALW in Nigeria. We further discussed the history of proliferation of SALW in Nigeria, and the Nigerian state and proliferation of SALW in the Northern Nigeria. Whilst, we examined the supply factors and causes of proliferation of SALW, and the law enforcement agencies, SALW proliferation and security situations in the Northern Nigeria. Lastly, effort was made to summarize the entire work and drew some conclusions on the basis of which we made some recommendations. From the foregoing, we reached the following conclusions that: the inability of the Nigerian state to deal with the demand factors heightened the proliferation of SALW in the Northern part of Nigeria. The inability of the law enforcement agencies to check the supply factors of SALW worsened security situations in the Northern part of Nigeria. Reconstitute the Nigerian state in such a way as to be pro-active in dealing with the demand factors of SALW that heightens the proliferation of SALW. Strengthen the law enforcement agencies in order to enable them check the supply factors of SALW that worsens security situations in the Northern part of Nigeria. Thus the thrust of this paper is to look at the Nigerian state and the proliferation small arm and light weapons in the northern part of Nigeria. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n1p415
Highlights
Nigeria is highly diverse, pluralistic and heterogeneous or multiethnic and multi-religions with over two hundred ethnolinguistic groups and two major religious groups
Reconstitute the Nigerian state in such a way as to be pro-active in dealing with the demand factors of small arms and light weapons (SALW) that heightens the proliferation of SALW
Some of the scholars focus on the supply side or push factors of proliferation of SALW like willing sellers, lucrativeness, and porous borders while others concentrate on demand or pull factors like crime, violence, conflicts, riots and unrests (Ayissi and Sall, 2005; Florquin and Berman, 2005; Vines, 2005; Hazen and Horner, 2007; Stohl and Tuttle 2009; Chuma-Okoro, 2011; Nte, 2011)
Summary
Pluralistic and heterogeneous or multiethnic and multi-religions with over two hundred ethnolinguistic groups and two major religious groups. Sequel to the amalgamation of the Northern and the Southern protectorates in 1914, the mistake of 1914 so called, two major issues are said to be dividing Nigeria, namely, ethnicity and religions, that one often wonders which of them divides Nigeria more These two divisive elements in the contemporary Nigeria result to numerous ethno-religious violence in the Northern part of Nigeria (Aniche, 2006).The colonial authority created these diversities but made little effort to unite the country rather deepened division of the country through divide and rule aimed at frustrating any concerted or united resistance against it in order to perpetually suppress the people. Ethno-religious conflicts seem to be a part of the unfinished business of state formation and nation building All these constitute part of the demand factors for proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nigeria. Some of the scholars focus on the supply side or push factors of proliferation of SALW like willing sellers, lucrativeness, and porous borders while others concentrate on demand or pull factors like crime, violence, conflicts, riots and unrests (Ayissi and Sall (eds), 2005; Florquin and Berman (eds), 2005; Vines, 2005; Hazen and Horner (eds), 2007; Stohl and Tuttle 2009; Chuma-Okoro, 2011; Nte, 2011)
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