Security situations across the globe, no doubt, have been compounded in recent times by increasing accessibility by wrong hands to illicit small arms and light weapons.
Even the world powers, like the United States of America with topnotch security architecture in place, are not immune against it as they had experienced sporadic shootings in supermarkets and other public places, irrespective of whether the weapons used were licensed or not.
The sub-saharan region spreading from the Northern part of Africa down to the West African countries bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the south have also had increasing menace of proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
The negative effects of the menace, over the years, have been devastating on the various African countries, particularly the innocent and law-abiding citizens.
In Nigeria, the proliferation had made it possible for some evil activities, like banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery to triumphed more in recent past years.
Worried by the security implications of the menace, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), sought its fifteen member states to put in place formidable structures that will check the inflow and circulation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the region.
But sadly as at today, only the ‘Big Brother’, Nigeria, is yet to have a legal framework to back up its structure among the 15 ECOWAS member States.
