By Tammy Oruwariye
The African continent is not immune from the proliferation of illicit weapons. In 2016, the United Nations raised the alarm over the increase in illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nigeria. Although exact numbers cannot be determined, the then-director of United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), Olatokunbo Ige gave an estimate that about 70 percent of 500 million weapons found in the region are in Nigeria [1]. In her statement, she warned that this could have a dramatic impact on peace and security in the region and also affect the livelihoods of millions of people across the continent [2].
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