Former COAS Raises Alarm Over 14m Weapons In Hands Of Non-state Actors

A former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau, has raised concern over the growing proliferation of illicit firearms across the Sahel region, disclosing that more than 14 million weapons are currently in the hands of non-state actors.

Dambazau, who is Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to China, made the revelation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, about 11 million of the estimated 14 million firearms are concentrated within the West and Central African corridor, describing the development as a major driver of insecurity across the region.

He said Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be viewed in isolation, stressing that the situation is part of a wider regional crisis requiring coordinated action among affected countries.

“Insecurity in Nigeria is not an isolated problem. It is complex and regional in nature, and therefore requires a regional approach,” he said.

Dambazau explained that the widespread circulation of illegal weapons remains a key factor fuelling insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes in Nigeria and the Sahel region.

He noted that most of the weapons in circulation were manufactured outside Africa, making international cooperation critical in addressing the challenge.

“These firearms are not manufactured here, and in fact, they are not manufactured in Africa. They come from somewhere, so there is a need for partnerships to identify and block the sources,” he said.

The former army chief added that recovering illegal weapons from non-state actors would require advanced surveillance and tracking technologies, which many African countries currently lack.

He also identified porous borders as a major security threat, citing Nigeria’s 1,400-kilometre border with Niger Republic as difficult to secure through conventional deployment alone.

According to him, modern surveillance systems and high-tech monitoring tools are required to close existing security gaps.

Dambazau said Nigeria could benefit from partnerships with technologically advanced countries such as China to strengthen border security and intelligence gathering.

However, he cautioned that surveillance alone would not be sufficient without corresponding response capacity.

“As you monitor activities, you must also have the capacity to respond effectively,” he said.

He added that specialised equipment and precision capabilities would help reduce collateral damage during military operations.

Dambazau also stressed the importance of rural development in addressing insecurity, noting that many armed groups operate in underserved communities with limited government presence.

He described the crisis as an asymmetric conflict requiring specialised training, intelligence-driven operations and non-military interventions.

According to him, state governments must invest more in rural infrastructure such as roads, healthcare, education and economic empowerment to reduce vulnerability.

“A lot of these rural communities lack basic infrastructure and services. Development and human security are critical to solving insecurity,” he said.

He added that poverty and unemployment remain key factors driving youth recruitment into armed groups, urging governments to prioritise job creation and agriculture.

Dambazau further noted that Nigeria’s security partnerships with countries such as the United States, Turkey and China are yielding positive results, but must be sustained and strengthened.