ARMS PROLIFERATION AND THE CHALLENGES OF INTERNAL SECURITY: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

One of the fundamental obstacles to peace and security in Nigeria today is the presence and continued proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). The proliferation of small arms constitutes a major source of destruction to lives and properties and exacerbates inter-communal tensions leading to full-fledge insurgency.  The main aim of the study is to provide an analysis of arms proliferation and internal security in Nigeria with a view to identifying the root causes. The research design is descriptive and the framework of analysis adopted is Frustration-Aggression Theory and the qualitative research method. Secondary sources of data are used for the study. Some of the causes o f arms proliferation include, the borders of Nigeria are porous, thus, making it easy for entry and exit of arms, drugs, as well as traffic of human, rising rates of unemployment, conflicts, struggle for power and more so, the high level of corruption in the country compounds this security challenges faced by Nigeria. Also the internal security challenge include ethnic militia in different geopolitical zone Boko-Haram in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, secessionist agitation led by IPOB in the southeast herdsmen attack in the north central etc .The government should as matter of urgency start addressing the causes of  arms proliferation avoid corruption  and provide jobs to the teeming youth of the country who are unemployed