PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMSAND LIGHT WEAPONS IN ANAMBRA SINCE 1970: IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH-EAST SECURITY

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PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMSAND LIGHT WEAPONS IN ANAMBRA SINCE 1970: IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH-EAST SECURITY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Anambra is a state with a rich culture. Its known for its great myths, giant strides, creative, hardworking and innovative people. Its history is as mythical as its great people, as there are diverse perspectives to the origin of ndi Anambra.

Their existence dates as far back as 4500BC, as confirmed by archeological findings unearthed in various locations in the state, including Igbo Ukwu, Aguleri, Awka, Ezira and Nri. Ndi Anambra migrated from the cradle of human civilization to their present location and their history is strongly linked to the history of the entire Igboland, as the source of Igbo civilization.

Old Anambra State was first created in 1976 from the East Central State. A re-organization by the then military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, on August 27th 1991 further divided the Old Anambra into two states, present Anambra and Enugu States. The name Anambra is a colonial convenient pronunciation derived from the Omambala River, a tributary of the majestic River Niger.

Anambra is the tenth most populous state in Nigeria, with an estimated population of about 5,084,195 (2015 Census estimate). It covers an area of 4,416 square kilometers with rainforest vegetation, humid climate, a temperature of about 87°F and rainfall of between 152cm and 203cm per annum. Its natural features of hills, lakes, caves, forests and table savannah land from the beautiful landscape of the state. It shares boundaries with Abia, Delta, Enugu, Imo & Kogi States making it one of the few states with many neighbours. Agriculturally, Oil Palm, corn, rice, yam & cassava are its main cash crops. Fishing in inland waterways is also a significant commercial activity in the state.

Anambra State has deposits of natural gas and crude oil. Other minerals include gypsum, kaolin, bauxite, iron ore, lead, etc. Textiles, tourism, soft drinks processing/bottling, wood carving and blacksmithery form the major industries in the state. The business climate is highly favourable with a combination of large markets, abundant skilled labour force, entrepreneurial ability and easy access to capital and natural resources and a number of government incentives.

The state capital territory, Awka, famous for its legendary blacksmithery, spans across six Local Government Areas: Anaocha, Awka South, Awka North, Dunukofia, Njikoka and Orumba North and covers a land area of 400sq kilometers. The city of Onitsha, another major town in the state has with its massive market (the largest in West Africa), has strong trade links with many parts of the country and the world. Nnewi, the second most economically vibrant centre after Onitsha, has virtually become the automobile spare parts market of the nation and a fast-growing industrial centre.

The Igbo language is the mother tongue, but English is widely spoken due to the early influence of Missionary Schools & UAC Traders. A vast majority speak pidgin English, a blend of native Igbo dialect and English Language, which was probably adopted for ease of trade with early visiting Europeans. However, a small group of Igala-speaking people exists in Anambra West Local Government Area.

Ndi Anambra live and work in virtually every part of the country and the world and easily learn the languages of their places of sojourn. They integrate easily with the host communities where they find themselves, hence, their traditional hospitality and friendliness to visitors and strangers in their land.

A people of uncommon species, Ndi Anambra are shaped by their history and their environment to be persevering, hardworking, creative, innovative and adventurous. They are perhaps, the state’s most outstanding assets and the reason why Anambra is regarded as “Light of the Nation”.

The story of Ndi Anambra is that of outstanding achievements in Politics, Education, Commerce, Industry, Entertainment, Sports and indeed in every sphere of human endeavors.

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

The changing trend of threats to our South East Security is occasioned by the evolution and development of new factors in the internal and external environment of the Nigeria State. The security of the Nigerian state is aimed at protecting National integrity of the state and defending the essential values that constitute Nigerian identity.

The proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) has been given wide spread international focus in the post cold war era (Baxter, 2008). This is because these weapons have become the primary tools of ethnic and internal conflict in recent times. They have been the sources of violence, wars, conflict and crimes. It is a phenomenon that is destabilizing the peace, development and threatening the South East Security of sovereign States.

However, in nearly all conflict and crime, the diffusion of Small Arms and Light weapons particularly from industrialized nations to developing world has played a decisive role in escalating and intensifying the various threats to our South East Security. For example, the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Anambra state of Nigeria and the Nation in general, together cannot be overlooked in this discourse. Secondly, the Proliferation of Small Arms its misuse generates a climate of fear and culture of violence that can last for generations. Insecurity affects decision-making, access to food, water and shelter, as well as mobility and commerce. Thirdly, Small Arms and Light Weapon Proliferation discourages foreign investment and damages the prospects of economic development. As its availability promotes violent solution to conflict.

Lastly, it increases the level of criminal acts in society ranging from; robberies, assassination, kidnapping, assaults and car hijacking etc.

Readily available and easy to use, Small Arms and Light Weapons have been the primary and the sole tools for violence in almost all parts of the federation of Nigeria. In the hand of irregular troops, bandits, groups, individuals and politician operating with scant respect for International and National Humanitarian Laws. Small Arms and Light Weapons are killers Weapons.

Globalization too is becoming an ever influencing architect of the new interSouth East Security agenda. Its impact on the evolution of the relations among states is contradictory. It has facilitated the easy transportation of illegal Arms and Light Weapons from porous borders

These Arms are precisely ‘small’. They circulate easily because they are small, easy to buy, easy to use, easy to transport and easy to conceal. Their proliferation exacerbates conflicts, sparks refugees’ flows, and undermines the rule of law and spawn a culture of violence and impunity. Thus poses threat to National and State security.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The statements of problem is the fundamental question that requires an answer, it is the most worrying issues that need to be properly examine and understood. The research problem is the fulcrum which the research objective and hypotheses resolve (Obasi, 1999). Under the statement of problem the researcher is expected to examine the ‘why’ related issues the researcher does not only describe as such but rather raise question that attract curiosity and expectation in terms of answer.

The problem of proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) has intensified in the country since the late ‘60s to the very end of the Nigerian-Biafran war and after. Since the priority then, of both parties was to win the war at all cost, this made for massive importation of arms and weapons into the country. Since in times of war the situation provide for local populace to find ways to survive at all cost. Locally made arms were produced (both rifles, pistols, and land mines and other explosives). Some of these arms, either imported or locally made are still in circulation till today. The problem of illicit production, sales, distribution and trafficking of light weapons have threatened human welfare and dignity in many parts of the country. Ranging from distortion in National economy due to violence, terrorism and assassination, to corruption of public officials especially the law enforcement agents, who in themselves are made to keep watch either on the borders and sea routes, on the spread of these arms.

Against this backdrop of proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the country, the Nigerian Government has established a National commission on small arms, as required by the moratorium; it faces a daunting task of exerting control and reducing the circulation, availability and diffusion of Small Arms and Light Weapons through its borders and sea routes into the country.

The research problem centers on the extent at which the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria, poses a threat to South East Security, using Anambra State of Nigeria as a case study. It is against this backdrop that the following questions will be addressed.

To examine the nuances surrounding the concept of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) proliferation and seek a better understanding of their meaning.
To examine the factors that encourages the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Anambra.
To examine the interconnection and multiple linkages between Small Arms and various threats to South East Security.
To identify and explain the role of SALW in the escalation of various security threats in Nigeria.
To examine, the role of the State, National and International Organization in regulating the spread of SALW in Nigeria.

vi To analyze the ways in which SALW proliferation are threat to South East Security.

HYPOTHESIS/RESEARCH QUESTION

H0: The proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) endangers threat to South East Security.

H1: The proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) does not endanger threat to South East Security.

H0: The current porous state of Anambra State’s borders and routes is partly responsible for the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

H1: The current porous state of Anambra State’s borders and routes is not responsible for the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

H0: The proliferation of SALW is partly due to the inability of government and security agent to come up with policies and strategies to regulate the inflow of illegal arms, which may be either due to corruption or negligence.

H1: The proliferation of SALW is not due to the inability of government and security agent to come up with policies and strategies to regulate the inflow of illegal arms, which may be either due to corruption or negligence.

PURPOSE OF STUDY

The research is intended to highlight, how Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) have exacerbated the various threat to South East Security. It will also provide a framework for controlling regimes such as internal processes, National policy and Regional initiatives. These policy options will be provided by the study, to State, Sub-Regional, National and International organizations. Since the problem of SALW are not limited to any particular State.

The adoption of the multiple options that will be provided by this study will reduce and contain the various threats to our State and South East Security in which Small Arms and Light Weapons are the weapons of choice.

SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The significance of study is, the value or contribution which the research is going to make to existing knowledge in terms of theoretical justification or relevance. Secondly, the solution the research is going to provide towards ameliorating a practical problem of concern.

Therefore, the study has theoretical and practical relevance. The theoretical relevance of this study is that it examines the role of the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Anambra State. By so doing, the study enriches the existing stock of literature or expands the frontiers of knowledge through its findings. Therefore serves as a source of data/material to those scholars who may be interested in further studies in this area.

Empirically or practically, this study will be of immense benefits to government, security advisers, defense advisers, policy makers and politicians, Regional and International institutions like ECOWAS, AU, UN, IMF and WB etc.

The study is timely, because the process is ongoing.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Considering the relationship between the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and various threats to our South East Security, the geographical size of the country dictates that the scope be narrowed down. Therefore, the reference point for the research shall be various security threats orchestrated in Anambra State of Nigeria.

It is also worthy of note that the true scope covered by the work is the period of 1967 to 2014. The choice of 1967 as the starting point is informed by the fact that the Nigerian civil war contributed to the proliferation of SALW into the country. The oil boom of the ‘70s led to the misappropriation of National funds, while the economic recessions of the ‘80s was also accompanied by a steep rise in robbery, political terrorism and the industrialization of corruption in all spheres of daily National life.

Coupled with these, is the fact that the ‘70s conceded with the period when sub-regional integration within the framework of ECOWAS began to gain momentum. It is partly as a result of this that free trade was adopted, along with this free trade, came in trade in both legal and illegal items and contrabands, partly of which are SALW.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
SOUTH EAST SECURITY THREAT:- An increase in crime wave, crisis and violent conflicts, which endangers peoples lives and safety of property of a Nation.
PROLIFERATION:- The sudden increase in the number or amount of something.
SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS (SALW):- These are weapons that can be carried by a single person. Ranging from clubs, knives, and machetes. It also covers a wide range of weapons from pistol, machine guns and other firearms to grenades, portable anti-tank systems, anti-aircraft guns and mortars. The United Nation General Assembly defines “Small Arms and Light Weapons” as any portable lethal weapon that expels or launches, is designed to expel or launch, or may be readily converted to expel or launch a shot bullet or projectile by the action of an explosive (Heinrich, 2006).

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