How Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram Smuggle Arms Into Nigeria

Proliferation of small arms and light weapons is increasingly and dangerously becoming a transnational organized crime in Nigeria, with Boko Haram's insurgency, re-emerging Niger Delta crisis and escalating kidnapping, communal crises and armed robbery in the South East providing impetus for arms trafficking.
Some border towns, particularly in the North Eastern flank, serve as a hub for trafficking of arms as well as stolen goods, drugs and hostages by criminals, terrorists and their collaborators. The recent kidnap of a French family at a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon is an example. Similarly, many arms and ammunition of various types, sizes and calibre have been intercepted and confiscated by security agencies. The recurrent detection and recovery of cache of arms, ammunition and Improvised Explosive Device Materials by the Joint Task Force, JTF, further buttresses the point. Similarly, the occasional recovery of stolen goods and hard drugs from criminals and terrorists' camps or hideouts is an indication that the illicit trade has been on the rise in recent times.
Of concern is the discovery that despite the efforts of security agencies, the "merchants of death" continue to engage in arms trafficking/ trading through covert means largely aided and abetted by the porous nature of the Nigerian borders with Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Recently, the Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Services stated that the Service had discovered hundreds of illegal routes in Nigeria that link or lead to some neighbouring African countries.
Nigeria's borders are massive with hundreds of footpaths crisscrossing to neighboring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger with links to Mali, Libya and Sudan. From conservative estimate by locals, there are well over 250 footpaths from Damaturu/Maiduguri axis that link or lead direct to Cameroon, Chad or Niger. These paths, which are mostly unknown to security agencies, are unmanned, unprotected and have continued to serve as conveyor belts for arms and ammunitions trafficking into Nigeria.
It is disheartening and unfortunate that the "merchants of death" have since devised methods to beat security agencies at the borders, chief among them, through the footpaths. These methods include the use of camels, donkeys and cows to traffic arms, ammunition and drugs such as cocaine into Nigeria. The fact that the weapons are small, light and collapsible makes it easy to be concealed and moved on camels and donkeys' back in a specially crafted skin or thatched bags mainly meant for the illegal "expedition" undetected. Similarly, some cows and grains merchants in the North- East sub - region of the country device means of hiding cache of arms and ammunition in empty fuel tankers, vehicle engines and bags of grains.

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The "grains" are transported in large number via trucks, trailers, lorries and old model pickup vans and jeeps with little attention given to them by security agents. The use of Jega type of tricycles ( KEKE-NAPEP) as well as camels, donkeys, and cows (moving in flocks) to deceive, hide and conveniently traffic arms in some parts of the North are ways hitherto unknown, not well exposed or documented. Their capacity for arms trafficking is beginning to be uncovered and is being curtailed by security agencies. The security situation in the JTF Operation RESTORE ORDER area of responsibility forced the task force to take on additional responsibility to trace sources of arms and ammunition to Boko Haram insurgents, how the arms are trafficked and are also taking measures to block them. This is one way of effectively checkmating terrorism in Nigeria - destroy its centre of gravity! And this seems to be a task that has so far proved difficult but necessary to be accomplished if the war against insurgency is to be effective and successful.
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