Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and National Security in Nigeria. Recipes for Disarmament

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2022 in the subject Organisation and administration - Public safety and order, grade: A, , course: Strategic Studies, language: English, abstract: This paper examined the effects of proliferation of small arms and light weapons on national security in Nigeria. It utilized secondary sources of data as well as employed the critical theory to explain the relationship between proliferation of small arms and light weapons and national security in Nigeria. The widespread demand, use and abuse of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria pose serious security and developmental challenges to the country. Some of the implications of this is that Government resources are diverted away from socio-economic and developmental projects to defense and security and human rights abuses which undermine human security are rife. For instance, Nigeria has spent over US$9billion since 2019 trying to curb insecurity this fund would have been channeled into education or health system to boost the welfare of the people.

Dr. Chinedu Simplicius Udeh was born on 03 March 1966 in South-East Nigeria. He holds BSc, MSc and Ph.D degrees in Political Science and International Relations from the Universities of Calabar, Lagos and Abuja Nigeria respectively. He is a Fellow of the defence college Nigeria, (fdc) (Course 20) and a Distinguished Fellow of the Defence College fdc(+). Dr. Udeh's professional qualifications include certificates in Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre, Ghana, Peace Support Operations for Senior Leaders and Defence and Security Management. He also holds certificate in Lessons Learned Course from the Centre for Army Lessons Learned, United States Army and certificate in Strategic Economic Needs and Security Exercise (SENSE), US Institute of Peace, Washington DC. Dr. Udeh worked as a Reporter with the defunct Sentinel Magazine, Kaduna and a Research Fellow at the International Training Institute of Peace. He is a Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies and a Directing Staff at the National Defence College, Nigeria. He is an ECOWAS Election Observer. Dr Udeh also a Senior Lecturer on part time basis in Department of Political Science & International Relations, Nile University of Nigeria Abuja and the National Open University. Dr. Udeh is currently working on publishing three books namely Proliferation of Small Arms and Security Challenges in Nigeria, Non- Military Dimensions of Security in Nigeria and Planning Implementation and National Development in Nigeria - A Reader. Dr Udeh has contributed chapters in books and journals covering issue areas such as peace, security and conflict resolution. He has participated in several national and international conferences. He is a member of some professional associations including the Nigerian Political Science Association, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Society for Peace Studies and Practice and Stabilisation and Peacebuilding Community of Practice (SP-CoP). Dr. Udeh has travelled a bit around Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and North and South America. Dr. Chinedu S. Udeh's hobbies include evangelism, reading, travelling and listening to gospel music. He is also involved in some community and humanitarian services. He is married and blessed with four children.