Over 500 Million Illicit Arms in West Africa, 40% in Nigeria, Defence Chief Warns
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has raised serious alarm over the rising threat of insecurity across West Africa, revealing that the region is awash with over 500 million illicit small arms and light weapons 40 percent of which are believed to be in Nigeria.
General Musa made the disclosure on Thursday while delivering the second Distinguished Personality Lecture at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The lecture, titled “Global Fragility and Security Management in Nigeria,” was organized by the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Security Management.
According to the Defence Chief, the proliferation of arms, largely smuggled from conflict zones in the Sahel and North Africa, has significantly empowered non-state actors such as terrorists, bandits, and ethnic militias worsening insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the northern regions.
“Over 500 million illicit small arms and light weapons are circulating in West Africa, and an estimated 40 per cent of these weapons end up in Nigeria,” General Musa revealed.
“These weapons, often smuggled from conflict zones, have emboldened criminal elements and escalated violence in our communities.”
He stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges are not isolated but deeply intertwined with global fragility and regional instability. Musa cited porous borders, weak governance in remote regions, transnational terrorism, economic shocks, and cyber threats as key contributors to the nation’s vulnerability.
“Nigeria’s vulnerabilities are not just internal,” he said. “They’re being shaped by the global fragility matrix. We must respond with resilience, innovation, and collective will. No nation is an island in today’s security landscape.”
General Musa also drew attention to the growing impact of digital disinformation and online radicalisation. He noted that social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp are increasingly being used to incite ethnic tensions and erode public trust in democratic institutions.
“Hybrid threats have extended beyond the battlefield,” he warned. “Digital platforms are now being weaponised to spread ethnic hatred, manipulate narratives, and sow distrust among citizens.”
The Defence Chief called for urgent reform and a holistic approach to Nigeria’s security strategy, urging collaboration between security agencies, academia, and the public in responding to emerging threats. He also emphasized the importance of intelligence driven operations, border control, community engagement, and cyber vigilance.
The lecture drew attendance from security experts, academics, policy makers, and students, all of whom echoed the need for a proactive and adaptive security framework in an increasingly volatile global environment.
