The United Nations has revealed that weapons looted during Libya’s 2011 conflict later spread across the Sahel region and ended up in the hands of extremist groups operating in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Speaking at a meeting on illicit firearms at the UN headquarters in New York, UN official Izumi Nakamitsu said arms stolen or diverted during and after the conflict that toppled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi later surfaced in countries including Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.

According to Nakamitsu, some of the weapons were eventually traced to extremist groups, highlighting how arms from one conflict can destabilize neighboring regions years after fighting ends.

“The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons,” she said. “It stays, and it continues to harm people.”

She warned that the proliferation of small arms continues to threaten peacebuilding efforts and contributes to renewed violence, particularly when weapons remain in the possession of armed groups, militias, or civilians seeking protection.

Nakamitsu also linked illicit arms trafficking to terrorism, human rights abuses, and sexual and gender-based violence.

“It is not just a security issue. It is also about peacebuilding. It is about human rights. It is also about development,” she stated.

The UN official further noted that weapons used during wars often continue circulating across borders long after conflicts end, fuelling criminal activity and instability in affected regions.

She also expressed concern over emerging threats such as ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms, and increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks, which she said are making it more difficult for authorities to trace illegal weapons.