Top of PageGun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Germany,Nigeria,China,United States,United Kingdom
Former Doyen of UK Gun Lobby Pleads Guilty to More Gunrunning
17 May 2013
Democrat and Chronicle (USA)
British arms dealer Gary Hyde has admitted helping smuggle illegal AK-47 magazines into the United States for sale by a Chili-based firearms wholesaler, federal court records show.
Hyde signed a plea agreement in late April but it was not filed until this week, records show.
Hyde admitted that he had helped alter the markings on the 5,760 magazines so their country of origin — China — would not be known. In the U.S., there is a federal ban on the importation of... (GunPolicy.org)
Iranian Jailed for Illegal Arms Importation into Nigeria
14 May 2013
This Day (Lagos)
Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court in Lagos monday sentenced an Iranian national, Azim Aghajani, and his Nigerian counterpart, Ali Jega, to 17 years imprisonment each for their involvement in the importation of firearms into Nigeria.
Justice Okeke while delivering his judgment, held that he was not in doubt that the 13 containers loaded with arms were imported into the country, contrary to the claim by the accused persons that the containers contained... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Confirm 1 Million Illegal Guns in Nigeria
9 May 2013
Daily Newswatch (Nigeria)
Against the backdrop of mounting security challenges in Nigeria arising from the Boko Haram insurgency and ethno-religious crisis in the north as well as armed robbery and kidnapping in the south, it has been estimated that there are about one million illegally held guns in the country in civilian hands. The market price for most popular of them all, the AK-47 pattern of assault weapon, goes for $180 (about N27,000). While the total number of guns in the hands of... (GunPolicy.org)
Poland,Ukraine,Israel,Côte d'Ivoire,Bulgaria,Belarus,China,Angola,Russia
Guns Easily Available in Côte D'Ivoire Despite Embargo
16 April 2013
IRIN (UN News)
ABIDJAN - Côte d'Ivoire's recent turbulence - including the ouster of president Henri Konan Bédié in 1999, a long-running insurgency and deadly poll unrest in 2011 - has left the country awash in arms, which have contributed to human rights abuses, widespread crime and persistent insecurity.
Two years after coming to power in 2000, Laurent Gbagbo's administration faced an army mutiny, which morphed into a full-scale rebellion. In response, the government underwent a... (GunPolicy.org)
Algeria Authorities Intercept Arms Being Smuggled to Mali
16 April 2013
Magharebia (USA)
Algerian security forces on Saturday (April 13th) intercepted an arms shipment from Libya to terrorists in northern Mali.
Special Forces eliminated five terrorists during the operation. They reportedly belonged to al-Qaeda splinter group Movement for Tawhid and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) and were in charge of protecting the arms shipment.
Wakt El Djazair quoted a security source as saying that a counter-terrorism military unit, supported by two helicopters, was able... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Uncover 3 Gun Factories
13 April 2013
Daily Trust (Abuja)
ASABA — Police detectives from Anambra and Delta States have uncovered arms factories in three communities in Delta State.
This is just as residents of Alizomor in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State fled the community after the corpse of ex-Anambra deputy governor Dr. Nwike Chidi was found in the area.
Police spokesman ASP Lucky Uyabeme said the discovery came when detectives stormed the community. He, however, said no arrest has been made.
The body of... (GunPolicy.org)
Portugal,Libya,United States,Guinea-Bissau,Colombia
Alleged FARC Scheme Swapped Cocaine for West African Arms
12 April 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
An international police operation has dismantled a network in which Colombian rebel group the FARC allegedly attempted to exchange cocaine for weapons from the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau.
The investigation, involving US, Colombian, Portuguese, and Guinea-Bissau authorities, lasted over a year, reported EFE. Colombian police arrested two men in Bogota who are accused of serving as as the FARC's intermediaries for the West Africa-based weapons suppliers.
On... (GunPolicy.org)
Egypt,Liberia,Mali,Palestine,Chad,Somalia,Tunisia,Algeria,Niger
Egypt Major Recipient of Illicit Libyan Weapons: UN Report
10 April 2013
Daily News (Egypt)
The United Nations published a report on Tuesday which concludes that weapons used during the Libyan civil war against Muammar Gaddafi are being funnelled at an alarming rate to other countries in the region.
The report said these weapons have been found to be used in the recent war in Mali, the West Bank in Palestine and the ongoing Syrian civil war, with Egypt and the Sahel region receiving the most significant amounts. The report said these weapons are fuelling... (GunPolicy.org)
Concerns in Ghana Over Availability of Guns, Youth Crime
4 April 2013
Spy Ghana (Ghana)
An increasing number of young people are in possession of firearms in the Northern Region, posing an additional risk to the already volatile situation in the area.
The disturbing phenomena was highlighted at the 2012 regional celebration of the West African Security Service Association (WASSA) in Tamale last Thursday when a number of speakers made reference to it and stressed the need to take measures to combat it.
Speaking at the function, the Northern Regional... (GunPolicy.org)
Central Africa,East Africa,Ghana
Over 2,500 Firerms Destroyed Since 2001 in Ghana
26 March 2013
Spy Ghana (Ghana)
Ghana has played a major role in stopping the illicit trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and has destroyed over 2,500 weapons since 2001, according to the Member of Parliament for Nadowli-Kaleo Constituency, Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
Addressing Parliamentarians from 12 countries in Africa on the strides Ghana has made in dealing with the illegal trade in guns, Hon. Bagbin stated that Ghana is an active member of the global efforts to control illicit... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Mexico,United Kingdom,Ghana,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty Talks Enter Stormy Final Round
26 March 2013
Rappler / Agence France Presse
More than 100 countries complained Monday that talks on a conventional arms trade treaty had gone "backwards" from a vow to conclude a strong accord on the $80 billion a year trade.
The major western powers, who expressed confidence that an accord could be reached, face tough criticism over the treaty as talks at the UN headquarters entered the final straight.
A group representing 103 countries blasted the latest text as a step "backwards."
A statement by the 103,... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Arrested Over Illegal Manufacture and Sale of Guns in Ghana
21 March 2013
Vibe Ghana
Prosper Adewornu alias Dzakpasu Kofi 50, a Blacksmith and his son Safari Daworlo 21, Auto Mechanic and Blacksmith, have been arrested for allegedly manufacturing and selling guns and gun parts at Kakadedzi on Ghana-Togo border.
Two locally manufactured pistols, seven old locally made shotguns and two foreign shotguns, six BB-short-barrel gun cartridges and 39 empty cartridges were retrieved from them.
A grinder, metal boring machine, hammers, a newly made shotgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Romania,Burkina Faso,Poland,Russia,Latvia,Tunisia,Guinea,Senegal,Bulgaria,China,Africa,Europe,Côte d'Ivoire
Arms Proliferation and Abuse Shatter Communities in Côte d'Ivoire - AI
20 March 2013
Amnesty International (London)
Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.
The 33-page report, Communities shattered by arms proliferation and abuse in Côte d'Ivoire, documents how a handful of states and a network of multinational arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Activist Urges Nigeria Federal Govt to Commence Small Arms Buyback
20 March 2013
Daily Times (Nigeria)
An Onitsha-based activist, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, has urged the Federal Government to commence arms and ammunition buy-back in the country.
Umeagbalasi, Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, made the call in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Tuesday.
He said that the Federal Government should come out with a policy to exchange these small arms surrendered by anyone with money.
Umeagbalasi was reacting to the alleged proliferation of small... (GunPolicy.org)
39,880 Militants' Firearms, Ammunition Handed Over to Nigerian Army
17 March 2013
Vanguard (Lagos)
ENUGU — The 39,880 assorted firearms and ammunition recovered from former militants in the Niger Delta by the inter-agency taskforce set up by the Federal Government have been handed over to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.
A breakdown of the arms handed over on Saturday at the 82 Division's parade ground included the following: 482 automatic arms, 20,132 ammunition, 295 magazines and 18,971 locally made guns.
The General Officer Commanding the 82 Division... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Arrest Alleged Arms Supplier in Delta
15 March 2013
Vanguard (Lagos)
WARRI — Police have arrested a community leader, who allegedly armed youths from Orugbene community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State with weapons, including guns and cutlasses, to attack villagers in Asenkiri, a neighbouring community, and forcefully seized their motor-saws and other equipment, penultimate week.
The alleged arms supplier was nabbed following investigations by security agencies into the incident.
An Oborotu community leader, Chief Evans... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,China,Asia,Americas,Oceania,Kenya,Cuba,Côte d'Ivoire,Africa,Central America,Russia,United States
Women Explain Why an Arms Trade Treaty Can Save Many Lives
7 March 2013
Amnesty International (London), Media release
It is estimated at least half a million people are killed with guns every year and on average a further 200,000 men, women and children die as an indirect result of armed conflicts and violence that are frequently fuelled by the uncontrolled flow of small arms.
And for every person that is killed in an armed conflict, many more are injured and tortured, raped, abused, forcibly disappeared, taken hostage or displaced. Even more have their access to food, water, shelter,... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana Officials say Guns from Cote D'Ivoire, Offer Rewards
21 February 2013
Ghanaian Chronicle
The Bawku Divisional Police Commander, ACP Kweku Buadu-Pepra, says most the sophisticated weapons in Bawku came from neighbouring Cote d' Ivoire during the election conflict that erupted in that country in 2002.
The Bawku Municipal Security Committee (MUSEC) recently announced a monetary reward package of GHA¢3,000 for anyone with credible information that could lead to the security agencies retrieving weapons from civilians in the area.
The package also included... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Somalia,Angola,South Africa,Sudan,Zimbabwe,Kenya
Unknown Quantities of Chinese Arms in Africa a Concern
21 February 2013
Star (Kenya), Opinion
Much is being written and said in the media and academic circles about China's increasing engagement with Africa on many economic and other fronts.
Some see this as benefiting Africa; others as detrimental to the real needs of African countries and peoples. Some critics have used phrases like "the second scramble for Africa" and "re-colonization of Africa" to describe the new development. The debate goes on.
Yet, there is one subject that has not received the serious... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia,Nigeria,Madagascar,Guinea
Nigeria Charges Russian 'Gun Dealers' for Smuggling
19 February 2013
BBC News
Fifteen Russian sailors have been charged in a court in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, with illegally bringing weapons into the country.
The crew of the MV Myre Seadiver were denied bail by the High Court, pending a final ruling on Monday.
The Nigerian navy had seized the ship, owned by Moscow-based security firm Moran, last October.
Moran has said the ship had permission to carry arms and had stopped in Lagos to change crew.
The vessel had been travelling from... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaian, Nigerian Suspects Caught Allegedly Smuggling Guns
30 January 2013
This Day (Lagos)
It was a perfect façade, so they thought. Who could have suspected that a couple riding in a neat-looking Mercedes Benz car was not what they pretended to be. To an ordinary onlooker, they were mere international travellers, perhaps heading to Nigeria on a pleasure or a business trip.
However, the vigilance of a police patrol team uncovered their evil intention. The duo of Mr. Daniel Ofori, a Ghanaian and his Nigerian counterpart, Ms. Olufumolayo Adeyemo, were nothing... (GunPolicy.org)
Tunisia, Algeria, Libya Work to End Gun Trafficking [Français]
29 January 2013
Jeune Afrique (Paris) / Agence France Presse
[Translated summary: Special forces have been deployed to guard Tunisian oil and gas installations after workers were kidnapped. Tunisia, Algeria and Libya have signed as agreement to address increased trafficking of weapons and other items.]
Dans le centre du pays, à Kasserine, deux agents des forces tunisiennes ont été blessés lors de heurts avec des jihadistes présumés dans la nuit du lundi 28 au mardi 29 janvier. Des forces spéciales sont déployées depuis... (GunPolicy.org)
Mali,Libya,United States,West Africa,Niger
Internationalist Blog: How Libyan Weapons Fueled Mali's Violence
29 January 2013
Council on Foreign Relations, Blog
The violence that has plagued once-stable Mali since late 2011 should have come as no surprise to Western governments, for it is a direct function of NATO's Libyan intervention. By adopting a "light footprint" approach in Libya, the alliance unwittingly contributed to a security vacuum that allowed countless weapons to stream out of Libya and fuel insurgency, extremism, and crime in neighboring countries. One of these countries was Mali, where the flood of weapons from... (GunPolicy.org)
West Africa,East Africa,Kenya,Uganda,Rwanda,Tanzania,Burundi
East Africa Civil Society Calls for Tougher Laws to Curb Illegal Gun Trade
27 January 2013
New Vision (Kampala)
The East Africa Action Network on small arms (EAANSA) has called for tougher laws and increased vigilance among member states of the East African community (EAC) to curb illegal movement of small arms and light weapons.
According to the executive secretary EAANSA, Richard Mugisha, considering that the dynamics and movement of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) transcend the political boarders that divide state parties within East Africa, there is need for increased... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Republic,Hungary,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Guinea,Niger,Russia,South Sudan,China,Uganda,Afghanistan,Nigeria,Kenya,Iraq,Congo (DRC)
Trail of Bullet Casings Leads From Africa's Wars Back to Iran
11 January 2013
New York Times
The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan. A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. The ammunition bore no factory code, suggesting that its manufacturer hoped to avoid detection.
Within two years other researchers were finding identical cartridges circulating through the ethnic violence in Darfur. Similar ammunition then... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia Asks Nigeria to Release Alleged Gun, Ammo Smugglers
10 January 2013
This Day (Lagos)
The Russian government Wednesday called for the immediate release of the 15 sailors arrested by the Nigerian Navy for allegedly smuggling arms into the country.
Nigerian authorities intercepted a ship and arrested its Russian crew on October 23 last year after they found 14 AK-47 rifles guns and 8,500 rounds of ammunition on board.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the sailors were facing a court case initiated "under false pretexts" and that Nigeria broke a promise... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Dealer Jailed for Unlicenced International Weapons Trading
5 December 2012
New York Times / Associated Press
LONDON — A British arms dealer who helped ship thousands of assault rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria has been sentenced to seven years in jail.
Gary Hyde was convicted on two counts of breaching U.K. trade controls and concealing criminal property for moving the weapons without a license and hiding more than 620,000 pounds ($1 million) in commission payments.
While the 2006 deal between the Chinese and Nigerian governments was... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Crime Rate Rising in Liberia, Call for More Police Resources
30 November 2012
New Democrat (Monrovia)
The public fear and anxiety that greeted the sordid activities of armed robbers in and around Monrovia now appear to have receded with residents in many communities no longer complaining of threats posed daring armed robbers.
When the fear engulfed many households at the onset of the end-of-year festivities, police swung into action and imposed a nighttime curfew on motorcyclists seen as providing innocuous conduit to suspected armed robbers bent on making life... (GunPolicy.org)
China,United States,Zimbabwe,Sudan,Côte d'Ivoire,South Africa,Somalia
China 'Aggressively' Supplying Africa With Guns, Military Equipment
28 November 2012
Global Post (Boston)
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — China's aggressive new strategy to sell weapons in Africa was on clear display at a recent defense exposition here.
The pavilion for Chinese manufacturers was among the three largest at the Africa Aerospace and Defense exhibition in September, surpassed only by host South Africa and the United States, the world's largest weapons maker by far.
Many of the made-in-China weapons touted by firms such as Norinco and Poly Technologies were... (GunPolicy.org)
Congo (DRC),United States,Burkina Faso,Tanzania
US Entrepreneurs Turning Thousands of African AK-47s into Jewellery
26 November 2012
New York Times
NEW YORK — As icons go, few things communicate global menace more effectively than the stark silhouette of an AK-47. Designed more than six decades ago by Mikhail Kalashnikov, a former Soviet tank commander, the assault rifle boasts the dubious distinction of being the most abundant and reliable killing device in history.
"In much of the world they are everyman's gun," the New York Times foreign correspondent C.J. Chivers wrote in "The Gun," his 2010 social history... (GunPolicy.org)
Egypt,Niger,Libya,Belgium,Mali,Palestine,Israel
Experts Suspect Belgian-Made Guns Trafficked from Libya to Gaza
19 November 2012
Foreign Policy
There's one big problem with small arms: They don't come with an expiration date. These reliable killing machines pass from dead soldiers to living insurgents, and from a country's armory to a militia's safe house thousands of miles away. As soon as weapons crates cross international borders, arms-producing countries lose control over where they head next - a fact on full display during recent conflicts across the Middle East, and now in the Gaza Strip.
On Nov. 17,... (GunPolicy.org)
North Africa,Libya,Mali,Egypt,Qatar
Concerns Over Weapons Availability, 'Gangster' Culture in Libya
14 November 2012
Qantara (Germany)
Market day in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. In the old town quarter of Assabri, traders spread out their wares on folding tables and car bonnets: pistols, machine guns, grenades, ammunition. There's even the odd rocket-propelled grenade on offer. Potential buyers lug bags full of bundles of cash; Libya's largest banknote is the ten dinar note.
"Can I try it out?" asks a customer holding the hand of a small child, grabbing hold of an AK-47 and firing it into... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso Re-Commit to Fighting Gun Trafficking, Crime
13 November 2012
Africa Report
Security forces from Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo have renewed their commitment towards developing new strategies for trans-border cooperation in the area of security, free movement of goods and people, child trafficking, drug smuggling and proliferation of small arms.
At a just ended two-day meeting at Kombissiri, Burkina Faso, they called on their governments to strengthen closer ties in dealing with trans-border crime, which over the years has negatively affected... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria NGOs Blame Illegal Guns for High Crime Rate
9 November 2012
Leadership (Abuja)
A rights group, International Society For Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety has stated that illicit small arms circulating in the country is responsible for the high rate of crime.
The group in a press release made available to LEADERSHIP in Awka said that over 300,000 illicit small arms are circulating in the wrong hands in Anambra State, and that this represent six percent of the entire illicit small arms in circulation in the country.
The release... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Catch Gun Runners in Nigeria with Assault Weapons
5 November 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
LAFIA — A syndicate of gun runners, led by a native doctor, Daniel Danladi, have been nabbed by a team of men of the State Security Service (SSS) in Nasarawa State.
The team also also recovered three AK47 rifles and a sub-machine gun.
Abubakar Bubuche, state director of the security agency, who paraded the five suspects at the directorate's office in Lafia, on Tuesday afternoon, said charms, as well as 48 rounds of ammunition, were also recovered from the suspects... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Debates Relaxing Gun Laws for Civilians as Crime Rate Escalates
4 November 2012
Leadership (Abuja), Opinion
The rising case of insecurity in the country has given room for many debates, one of which included the creation of state police to tackle the spate of general insecurity in the country. However, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) added a new twist to the whole debate when it recently called the Federal Government to consider the relaxation of gun ownership laws as a way to reduce crime. In other words, he wanted more private citizens to have access to guns. Michael... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Police Admit Operation Failing to Reduce Armed Crime Rate
2 November 2012
News (Liberia)
Despite the launch of a special operation code named "Operation Safe Haven", armed robbers have intensified their onslaughts on peaceful citizens across Monrovia.
As victims cry for help and nurse their wounds, Police Director Col. Chris Massaquoi has admitted that the violent crime of arm robbery is on the increase in Monrovia and its surroundings [sic].
Speaking Thursday when he addressed the Ministry of Information weekly press conference, the Police Chief said arm... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Govt, Civil Society Promote New Gun Law
31 October 2012
Awoko (Sierra Leone)
The Sierra Leone Action on Small Arms [SLANSA] in collaboration with Sierra Leone Commission on Small Arms [SLeNCSA] with support from Action on Armed Violence [AOAV] has held an open forum on the popularization of the Arms and Ammunition Acts 2012. Addressing his audience, the key note speaker retired LT. Col. Mbaday Bangura said the government has officially passed the Acts on Small Arms into law and that the people of the country need to know about it. He said owners... (GunPolicy.org)
Cote D'Ivoire 'Football for Peace' Effort to Teach Weapons Disarmament
29 October 2012
Radio Netherlands Worldwide
ABIDJAN — It's been over a year since the post-electoral crisis in Ivory Coast, but thousands of ex-combatants still hold onto weapons and ammunition. Tired of waiting for various disarmament operations to unburden their compatriots, some young Ivoirians have gotten the ball rolling themselves - on the football field. Two Sundays ago saw the official kick-off of Football for Peace.
On 21 October, under the blazing sun, male and female footballers perspire profusely.... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Man Jailed for Smuggling Weapons, Ammo to Nigeria
27 October 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
LONDON — A London court yesterday convicted a British arms dealer of organising a big illegal shipment of weapons to Nigeria.
Gary Hyde, a 43-year-old retired British volunteer police constable, was found guilty of helping to organise illegal shipment of 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 rifles, 10,000 pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria.
He was convicted by a jury and will be sentenced on 23 November at the Southwark Crown Court, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Police Catch Armed Robber Under New 'Operation Safe Haven'
24 October 2012
Inquirer (Monrovia)
Barely one week following the launch of "Operation Safe Haven", the Liberia National Police has arrested and detained a notorious armed robber suspect identified as Junior Jerry alias "School Face." Suspect School Face was arrested late Thursday night on Old Road with a single barrel short gun and three live bullets.
An LNP release disclosed that the latest arrest of the armed robber suspect is the first since "Operation Safe Haven" was launched.
During the armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Call for Harsher Penalties, Enforcement for Gun Crime in Nigeria
8 October 2012
Leadership (Abuja), Opinion
Let us all first agree that the number of illegal arms in free circulation in Nigeria is permissible only in a state of anarchy. I don't think anyone, including the president himself, should have any problem agreeing with that. If what happened at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, last week, does not become a frightening wake-up call to Nigerians and their leaders, then, it must be true that the country is jinxed.
If I were Jonathan, I would be very worried because what... (GunPolicy.org)
46 Believed Shot Dead in Nigeria Massacre, Police Seize Bombs Nearby
3 October 2012
This Day (Lagos)
It was a black Independence Day celebration for the inhabitants of Mubi town, Adamawa State, as unknown gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, massacred at least 46 persons, mostly students of three tertiary institutions in the town, on Monday night.
At least three others were confirmed killed over the weekend in Bauchi State in the ongoing reprisals in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.
Although the official casualty figure in the Mubi killing was put at... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Catch Smuggling Gang, Seize Assault Weapons, Ammo
26 September 2012
Leadership (Abuja)
Nemesis has finally caught up with three suspected robbers, who specialise in inter-state gun running as they were paraded by the Lagos State police command yesterday.
Speaking with journalists at the command headquarters in Ikeja, Manko Abubakar Umar, Lagos State police commissioner said that on September 23, officer in-charge of Lagos State Anti-Robbery Squad SARS, Abba Kyari received information that one Uche Okeagbu was arrested by the police around IIlemba Hausa... (GunPolicy.org)
Algeria Authorities Thwart Arms Smuggling Across Libya Border
21 September 2012
Magharebia (USA)
Algerian security forces are struggling to cope with arms smuggling gangs that have stepped up their operations along the southern border, prompting the Algerian army to intensify its presence across some rugged border crossings currently exploited by smugglers.
Forces from the People's National Army in the border area adjacent to Libya recently succeeded in confiscating 32 weapons and 14,000 rounds of ammunition in one operation near Karat Alain, south of Djanet in... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany to Provide €500,000 to Combat Illegal Small Arms in Nigeria
19 September 2012
Vanguard (Lagos)
The Federal Republic of Germany has disclosed that it will provide 500,000 euros to finance projects implemented by the newly established United Nation (UN) fund to combat illegal small arms.
This is disclosed at the just concluded review conference on the programme of action on small arms and light weapons, the United Nations member states confirmed their commitment to fight illegal arms trading and to protect children in armed conflict.
Speaking on progress of UN... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Authorities Seize Assault Weapons, Over 1,000 Bullets from Sect
13 September 2012
This Day (Lagos)
Operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State Wednesday arrested 11 suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in an overnight raid.
The suspects were arrested in the Waka-Biu region of the state.
Recovered from them were automatic weapons, ammunition and several homemade bombs.
Confirming the arrest, the spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, listed the dangerous weapons recovered from the sect to include a sub-machine gun, seven AK-47s, 1,568... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Doctors Call for More Liberal Gun Ownership
6 September 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) yesterday called for government to liberalise policy on gun ownership in efforts to stem violent attacks on citizens.
Speaking at a press conference, NMA president, Dr Osahon Enabulele, said "in view of psychological fear factor among criminals or vandals, liberal gun ownership will curb criminality among hoodlums."
He refuted observations that the call for more liberal policies on arms ownership was a "call for anarchy"... (GunPolicy.org)
US Businessman Accused Of Smuggling Guns Into Liberia
29 August 2012
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
A federal grand jury has indicted a 38-year-old Twin Cities businessman for allegedly smuggling firearms into the West African nation of Liberia for the past several years.
McHarding Degan Galimah faces a single smuggling charge under an indictment handed up Aug. 22 and unsealed this week in Minneapolis.
Galimah, also known as Mac, allegedly shipped firearms to Liberia without a proper license between April 2009 and April 2012.
Liberia endured several years of civil... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia President Signs New Gun Law
25 August 2012
Xinhua / Herald (Zimbabwe)
Morovia — The Liberian government has enacted a law creating a commission on small arms. The mandate of the Commission on Small Arms is to formulate and implement measures to help curtail the proliferation, illicit manufacturing, trafficking and distribution of small arms and light weapons.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who on Thursday evening signed the act into law at a ceremony here, described the event as another milestone in Liberia's desire to embrace peace,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Authorities Say Over 1,000 AK-47 Rifles in Illegal Circulation
24 August 2012
Vanguard (Lagos)
The Commissioner of Police in Kogi, Mr Mohammed Katsina, said on Friday that more than 1,000 AK 47 rifles were among the dangerous weapons believed to be in circulation in Okene and its environs.
He said this in Lokoja while parading some suspects, including a man in whose possession two AK 47 rifles, belonging to two soldiers killed in Okene on Aug. 7, were found.
Katsina said that politicians and clan heads were responsible for the massive illegal circulation of... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Find Assault Weapons in Parked Car
20 August 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
LOKOJA — The police in Kogi state yesterday recovered a parked Honda car containing 6 AK-47 rifles and eleven fully loaded magazines at a location in Oboroke Ihima in Okehi Local government area.
A source told our reporter that a woman selling recharge cards by the road side close to where the vehicle was parked suspicious of the presence of the vehicle there.
It was gathered that when a man came to move the car the woman alerted residents and the traditional ruler,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Arrest Eight over Spate of Gun Deaths, Armed Crimes
18 August 2012
Vanguard (Lagos)
When a 9-year-old Aminat Lateef was murdered in December 2010, during a violent clash between factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the Mushin area of Lagos State, her parents and siblings thought they would never get justice for her death, against the backdrop of past experiences.
But the reverse is the case now, as operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, following a directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana Police Oppose Proposal to Lift Gun Ban
16 August 2012
Peace FM Online (Ghana) / The Finder (Ghana)
Demands by the people of Gonjaland for the ban on small arms in their area to be lifted so they can protect themselves against Fulani herdsmen and armed robbers have been strongly opposed by the Northern Regional Police Command.
Communities in West, East and Central Gonja are insisting that they live in peace and should not be bundled with other communities in the Northern Region where armed violence and ethnic clashes are prevalent.
The police, on the other hand,... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Men In Court Over Gun Theft from Military Training Centre
15 August 2012
Concord Times (Sierra Leone)
After the witness SLA 1812372 Kabineh of Block No. 2 at Benguema Barracks gave evidence in court yesterday, three accused persons were denied bail by Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Court No. 2 after making their fourth appearance before him for allegedly stealing guns at the Benguema training school in April.
It could be recalled that the accused persons were arraigned before the court on seven counts ranging from conspiracy, unlawful possession of small arms, larceny and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gangs Can 'Hire' Assault Weapons in Ivory Coast
7 August 2012
Radio Netherlands
Keen to hire a Kalashnikov for the day? In a dangerous legacy of years of conflict, Ivory Coast's economic capital is now the hub of a thriving trade in automatic weapons for the criminal underworld.
"The 'Kalash' rules the streets in Abidjan," a police officer who is part of a task force charged with fighting gangland crime told AFP.
Criminals bent on a heist can rent an assault rifle for 30 euros ($37).
In one working-class district, a dealer who calls himself... (GunPolicy.org)
More Enforcement Needed to End Gun Trafficking in Nigeria
7 August 2012
Leadership (Abuja), Editorial
The chief of army standards and evaluation, Major-General Shehu Abdulkadir, at a recent Ramadan lecture said that 70 per cent of the 10 million illegal weapons in circulation in West Africa are in Nigeria. He was piqued at the worrisome development which he admitted is stressing the military and other law enforcement agencies. Globally, about 500 million illicit weapons are in circulation; 100 million of these are in sub-Saharan Africa, with about 10 million... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Kill 16 at Nigerian Church as Week of Violence Continues
7 August 2012
This Day (Lagos)
Gunmen numbering about 10 last night stormed the Deeper Life Bible Church at Otite in Adavi Local Government Council of Kogi State, killing about 16 worshippers in the process.
The attack is coming on the heels of a similar one in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Sunday night, where four people were feared killed in their homes by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.
Also, some unidentified gunmen Monday attacked a police station in Shagari Local Government... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Lifts Ban On Guns, Plans to Regulate Ownership
2 August 2012
News24 (Cape Town)
Freetown - Sierra Leone lawmakers have lifted a ban on small arms in new legislation which seeks to regulate ownership of weapons in a country ravaged by a decade-long civil war, an official said on Wednesday.
"The act will regulate the private ownership of guns and other weapons in the country to control the proliferation nationwide," said deputy Internal Affairs Minister Raymond Kabia, who piloted the bill.
"The act will also ensure that stockpiles of small arms and... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Produces 70% of the Guns in West Africa
29 July 2012
Business Day (Johannesburg)
Seventy per cent of the 10 million illegal weapons in West African are produced in Nigeria, Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Major-General Shehu Abdulkadir, said in a paper entitled, 'The challenges of internal security and implications for national development' at the 7th annual Ramadan lecture of Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria in Abuja.
Abdulkadir said, "Out of approximately 500 million illicit weapons in circulation worldwide in 2004, it was estimated... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,Lebanon,Iran,China,United States,Liberia,Africa
Liberia President Warns of New Wars Without Strong Arms Trade Treaty
13 July 2012
New Age (Johannesburg) / AFP
Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said on Thursday that Africa will face more conflict like her country's devastating civil war unless arms trade treaty negotiators produce a tough accord.
The Nobel Peace Prize winning president told envoys negotiating a deal that they had "a once in a lifetime opportunity to agree tough controls on the arms trade."
"The Liberian experience and other experiences in Africa and other parts of the world show that without such a... (GunPolicy.org)
Côte d'Ivoire Starts Small Arms Destruction, Still 3 Million Arms in Circulation
12 July 2012
Washington Post / AP
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — An official says authorities in Ivory Coast are starting to destroy hundreds of small arms collected since the end of the postelection violence that claimed some 3,000 lives.
Spokeswoman Laetitia Dia Allou of the West African nation's commission against arms proliferation said the destruction of some 600 weapons started Thursday.
She says a total of about 2,000 weapons were collected from former militants and civilians since October 2011.
It... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Tighten Border Controls, Prevent Gun Smuggling in Ghana
9 July 2012
Ghana Web
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms say the tightening of border controls has given the state security agencies more control over the arms trade across the Ghana's borders.
According to the Commission, the intensification of border and town patrols is crucial as it will help curb the importation of small arms and also maintain order as the nation draws closer to the December elections.
Speaking to Citi News, the Senior Programmes Officer of the Ghana National... (GunPolicy.org)
Angola,Africa,West Africa,Venezuela,Iran,Egypt,Algeria,South Sudan,Liberia,Germany,France,China,United Kingdom,Russia,United States,South Africa
For Africa, Ammunition Control Deserves Global Gun Trade Treaty Focus
9 July 2012
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG — For a couple of hundred dollars or less an arms dealer can illegally source a blank end user certificate with the required signatures and stamps - needed to transfer weapons across international borders - and "if no one checks its authenticity (often the case) he can ship his wares to the world's hotspots with minimal risk, for maximum profit," a report by the Small Arms Survey (SAS) said in 2008.
Since then "not much has changed" Glenn McDonald, based... (GunPolicy.org)
Somalia,Congo (DRC),Caribbean,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Liberia,Australia
Arms Trade Treaty Must Include All Guns and Ammo, Says Australia
2 July 2012
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
Ten years ago, tens of thousands of Kalashnikov assault rifles were transported into the West African country of Liberia. It was a violation of the UN arms embargo. The weapons were used by forces loyal to Charles Taylor to commit the most terrible crimes.
Boys, some as young as 11, were handed these weapons and told to kill. In the farms and villages of places such as Bong County on the border with Guinea, these Kalashnikovs became weapons of massive destruction. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Mali,Liberia,Côte d'Ivoire,Ghana
Locally Made Guns Constitute 80% of Guns Found at Crime Scenes in Ghana
30 June 2012
Peace FM Online (Ghana)
Locally manufactured small arms and ballistic weapons constitute more than 80 percent of weapons found at all crime scenes in Ghana, police sources have disclosed.
Security agencies are partly crippled in their capacity to put these local producers under effective checks because there are currently no specific working regulations guarding gun production in the country.
DAILY GUIDE investigations indicate there are about one million illicit small arms (short guns,... (GunPolicy.org)
A Shopkeeper Found Dead by Gunshot in Senegal [Francais]
18 June 2012
Agence de Presse Sénégalaise
[Translated summary: A shopkeeper was found dead by gunshot at his residence in Senegal. It appears that the death was caused by the mishandling of a firearm 22 gauge from Argentina.]
MOUDERY (Bakel) - Un commerçant de 47 ans a été retrouvé mort, laissant apparaître une blessure par arme à feu, lundi à Moudéry, localité située à 28 Km de Bakel (Est), a appris l'APS sur place, de source policière.
La victime a été découverte à son domicile avec l'impact... (GunPolicy.org)
Anthropologist's NSF Project Tracks Gun Control in Gambia, West Africa
18 June 2012
University of Virginia
With al Qaeda and Latin American drug cartels moving into some parts of Africa, small arms control has become a matter of great concern to those involved with security. Anthropologist Niklas Hultin, who taught in the University of Virginia 's Global Development Studies program last year, is researching issues concerning gun control in Gambia on the west coast – a gateway for illegal trafficking.
Hultin, who will be a research professor in the College of Arts &... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Customs Controller Arrested for Buying Ammo from Niger Police
14 June 2012
This Day (Lagos)
A serving Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Jack Bot, has been arrested for gun running.
Bot and his orderly, Mr. Shehu Ahmed, were arrested by men of the State Security Service (SSS) at Customs Headquarters, Wuse, Abuja, for allegedly buying ammunitions from the Niger State Police command.
Two police officers were also arrested for their alleged involvement in supplying arms and ammunition to armed robbers. It was gathered that the information provided those earlier... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone,Yemen,Syria,Algeria,Iran,Somalia,China,Belarus,Italy,Germany,Bulgaria,Austria,Russia,Tunisia,United Kingdom,United States,Qatar,Sudan,Africa,Libya,Egypt,France
An Arms Buyback for Libya? – Analysis
9 June 2012
Eurasia Review (EU/Asia)
The Libyan civil war of early 2011 was one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history, with an estimated 30,000 killed and 50,000 injured. While Muammar Gaddafi's death marked a watershed moment in Libyan history, the months of frenzied violence that preceded it saw a massive buildup of arms and munitions in the country. In the months leading up to and after his fall, Gaddafi's arms warehouses all across the country became unsecured; such was the level of... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 500,000 Lawfully Acquired Guns in the Hands of Ghanaians
7 June 2012
Peace FM Online (Ghana)
The National Commission on Small Arms (NCSA) has expressed worry over the easy availability of guns and other weapons in the country.
Currently according to the commission, about 500,000 legally acquired weapons are owned by civilians.
However, there are no statistical records of illegally acquired ones.
The commission's comment follow the arrest of an Ivorian and two Ghanaians by the Asawase Police in the Ashanti Region after Custom officials found nine AK-47... (GunPolicy.org)
Police, Customs Officers Said Supplying Guns to Nigerian Criminals
4 June 2012
Nation (Nigeria)
Two police inspectors and a Customs inspector (names withheld) are now being held by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja. They allegedly supplied arms and ammunition to armed robbers.
The arrests of the officers were effected, following the arrests of some armed robbers in Abuja, who confessed getting their arms and ammunition from the Customs official attached to the Niger State command.
The confession, our... (GunPolicy.org)
Trailer Loaded with Dangerous Arms, Ammunition Intercepted in Nigeria
31 May 2012
Vanguard (Lagos)
AWKA — The Anambra State branch of Importers Association of Nigeria and the National Task Force against illegal importation of firearms and ammunition said yesterday that they had intercepted a trailer load of dangerous arms and ammunition in the commercial city of Onitsha.
Briefing newmen, Chairman of the Association, Chief Emma Nwosu, said the weapons had been handed over to the police, explaining that in view of the development, the association was re-strategizing... (GunPolicy.org)
Congo (DRC),Central African Republic,Niger,Côte d'Ivoire,Mali,Congo (ROC)
Towards the Support of Congo in the Fight against Small Arms [Francais]
25 May 2012
Afriquinfos / Xinhua
[Translated summary: The representative of the Regional Center on Small Arms (RCSA), Marie Claire Bisamaza, reiterated the will of the organisation to support the Republic of Congo in implementing a National Plan of Action aiming at protecting the territory against proliferation of small arms and light weapons.]
BRAZZAVILLE - La représentante du Regional Center on Small Arms (RCSA), Marie Claire Bisamaza, a traduit jeudi à Brazzaville, la volonté de son institution... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana Customs Intercepted 50 Pump Action Guns Smuggled from Togo
23 May 2012
Ghanaian Chronicle
The Customs officer in-charge of the last check point at the Aflao border has intercepted arms together with an unspecified amount of foreign cash at the border post.
Mr. Dan Molley, who narrated the incident, said at about 9:48 p.m. on May 18, 2012, a Daf vehicle with registration number XV163/FSP, pulled out from the Togolese side of the border heading to Aflao with bolt and nuts fixed all over it, an observation that raised the suspicions of the security... (GunPolicy.org)
Ivory Coast Government to Mark All of Its Weapons [Francais]
4 May 2012
Abidjan.net (Côte d'Ivoire)
[Translated Summary: Things are going to change in Côte d'Ivoire regarding the conditions for owning small firearms. To this effect, the Ivorian state has decided to proceed with marking all of its weapons.]
Des choses vont changer au niveau des conditions pour la détention d'armes de petits calibres en Côte d'Ivoire. Pour ce faire, l'Etat ivoirien a décidé de procéder au marquage de toutes ses armes.
« Le marquage se fera dans un premier temps sur les armes... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia,Sierra Leone,Côte d'Ivoire,Ghana
Of 230,000 Guns Made in Ghana, 56% Are Unlicensed, in Unknown Hands
26 April 2012
Ghanaian Chronicle (Ghana), Editorial
It is not at the alarm state yet. But, the disclosure that 56 percent of a total of 230,000 small arms manufactured in the country remains unlicensed, and in hands that could not be identified, pose a threat to the security of the state. It means that as many as 125,000 illicit guns are in the system without any means of tracking them.
In addition, there are other light weapons which might have trickled down from conflict areas like Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone and... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaian Police to Crackdown on Illegal Possession of Firearms
25 April 2012
Ghanaian Chronicle (Ghana)
The Head of Small Arms Division at the Police Headquarters in Accra, Chief Superintendent Aboagye Yeboah, has hinted The Chronicle that his outfit would soon embark on an exercise to randomly search all individuals suspected of owning small firearms in the country. The decision, according to him, is to control the proliferation of small arms in the country.
Aboagye Yeboah further told The Chronicle that in collaboration with the Small Arms Commission they (police) had... (GunPolicy.org)
Governments, Civil Society Call for Regulation of Nigeria's Gun Trade
25 April 2012
Channels TV (Nigeria)
Government officials from ECOWAS member states and a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have demanded an urgent attention to the proliferation of small arms in the sub-region.
This was the focus of the talks on addressing the challenge during the meeting on small arms trade in Abuja on Wednesday, as top government officials from the 15 member states of ECOWAS converged in Abuja to prepare for the United Nations arms trade treaty... (GunPolicy.org)
Improved Gun Tracing, Registration Needed in Ghana, Says Commission
25 April 2012
Ghana web (Ghana)
The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCSALW) says there are approximately 30 arms importers licensed in Ghana, with mostly no credible database on their activities.
State institutions do not have exact statistics on the number of arms these licensed arms dealers import annually, or who they sell these weapons to because current State legislations lack the capacity to ensure the effective monitoring of their activities.
There are varied statistics... (GunPolicy.org)
Poor Records Allow Government Guns to Leak into Ghana Black Market
24 April 2012
Spy Ghana (Ghana)
The Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has raised grave concerns about arms in circulation indicating that about 20 percent of illegally manufactured weapons in circulation are from the nation's security services. According to the Commission, the porous nature of the record keeping and data management systems by the security services has led to the phenomenon, adding that per the records over 200,000 small arms are in the custody of civilians.
Analysts have... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaian Police Urged to Educate Public: There's No Need to Carry Guns
23 April 2012
Joy Online (Ghana)
A Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Cape Coast, Mr Takyi Akonnor, has charged security institutions in the country to 'step up their game' to convince the citizenry of their safety. Doing so, he said, will assure people that there is no need for them to acquire small arms to protect themselves.
Mr Akonnor was speaking in an interview with Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Monday. He was commenting on reports suggesting... (GunPolicy.org)
Increase in Number of Illegal Arms Circulating in Ghana
23 April 2012
Joy Online (Ghana)
One hundred and twenty-five thousand illicit guns are in circulation in the country without any form of data or record indicating where and who owns them, according to a baseline study in 2004.
According to the report, about 400,000 small arms are in circulation in the country. A little over half of the number 220,000 is in civilian hands. Only 95,000, representing 43.2 per cent, are registered, leaving a significant 56.8 per cent or 125,000 unaccounted for.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
West Africa,Ghana,Mali,Liberia
African Media Tasked to Assist Security Agencies Fight Arms Trafficking
20 April 2012
Ghana News Agency
Mr Jones Applerh, Executive Secretary, Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission, (SALW), on Friday appealed to the media to help security agencies control small arms proliferation in the country, especially before, during and after the December polls.
He urged the media to use the power of mass communication to expose the dangers of illicit proliferation of small arms into Ghana and other West African States.
Mr Applerh was addressing a three-day capacity building... (GunPolicy.org)
Senegal,Tunisia,Latvia,France,Romania,Mali,Guinea,Ghana,Europe,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Belarus
Belarus FM Denies Reports of Illegal Arms Transfers to Côte d'Ivoire
20 April 2012
Telegraf (Belarus)
Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Andrei Savinykh denied reports of arms shipments to Côte d'Ivoire in violation of the UN sanctions. "It's not even an accusation; it's a clumsy attempt of individual journalists to muddy the waters, as the proverb says," he said.
"The Belarusian side has been always cooperating openly with experts from the UN Security Council Committee on Côte d'Ivoire, whose reports these pseudo-journalists referred to. If they really... (GunPolicy.org)
Proper Record Keeping of Small Arms Urged in Ghana
19 April 2012
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (Ghana)
The Executive Secretary of National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Jones Applerh, is calling for proper record keeping of all arms and communication distribution in the country.
To Mr Applerh, this is the only effective and easy way to locate and identify the true ownership of arms with the system.
He was speaking on the first sensitisation and capacity building for journalists at Sogakope in the Volta... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Customs Import 5,000 AK-47 Rifles to Tackle Gun Smuggling
18 April 2012
Leadership (Abuja)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it has imported about 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles and two helicopters to be used in tackling proliferation of small arms by smugglers across the country's porous borders.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, who disclosed this while speaking to State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday also said that Customs had purchase 400 units of Toyota Hilux vehicles approved by... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaians Called Upon to Rise Against Gun Violence
13 April 2012
Public Agenda (Accra)
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has noted with grave concern the recent incidence of gun violence reported in the media.
According to the Commission, the growing impact of Small Arms in the country especially as we approach the elections is worrying and must not be ignored by all peace loving Ghanaians.
It therefore reminded all and sundry that the proliferation and misuse of small arms was a threat to the security of people and nations... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia,South Africa,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Ukraine,Côte d'Ivoire,Eastern Europe,Russia,Central African Republic,Iraq,Afghanistan,United States,Colombia,Angola,Liberia,North Africa,West Asia,Africa
Shadowy 'Merchants of Death' Behind Africa's Illegal Gun-Running
11 April 2012
Think Africa Press (London)
Arms dealer Viktor Bout was sentenced to 25 years by a US federal court last week.
Widely known as the 'merchant of death', the 45-year-old Russian has delivered weapons and arms to a wide range of presidents, insurgents and rebels in Africa and the Middle East including the likes of Charles Taylor in Liberia and Jonas Savimbi in Angola. He was caught in a US sting in which his services were solicited for the supply of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels.
His companies... (GunPolicy.org)
Qatar,East Africa,Russia,North Korea,China,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Mali,Libya,Belgium,West Africa
Small Arms Manufactured in Belgium Proliferate in Libya, Mali [Francais]
11 April 2012
L'Express (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: Notwithstanding risks of proliferation, small arms manufactured in Belgium circulate in Libya, Mali, and maybe tomorrow in Syria? Belgium is the biggest european exporter of small arms: in 2010, 32% of european exports of small arms to Middle East and North Africa came from this country.]
Malgré les mises en garde à Bruxelles sur les risques de prolifération, les armes légères fabriquées en Belgique circulent de la Libye au Mali. Et demain,... (GunPolicy.org)
Report Debunks that Ghana Smuggled Illegally Manufactured Guns
11 April 2012
Peace FM Online (Ghana)
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms has debunked reports that Ghana smuggles illegally manufactured weapons to neighbouring countries.
This came to light when the commission undertook a survey to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of some reports by some ECOWAS member states that Ghana tops the list of West African countries who smuggle illegally manufactured arms to other countries.
Speaking to Citi News, the programmes officer at the Ghana National... (GunPolicy.org)
Hoodlums Attack Police Station in Nigeria, Steal 14 AK-47 Rifles
5 April 2012
Vanguard (Lagos)
AWKA — Gunmen,numbering seven yesterday, attacked Amichi police station in Nnewi South Local Government Area and injured a police officer in the process. About 10 vehicles packed within and around the police premises were also riddled with bullets.
The hoodlums were said to have stormed the police station at about 2.30 am and after sporadic shooting, released two suspects believed to be their members and also allegedly made away with 14 AK-47 riffles belonging to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Rash of Gun Violence Worries Ghana Commission as Elections Near
4 April 2012
Ghana Business News
The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons is expressing grave concern over recent incidents of gun violence reported in the media especially as Ghana goes to the polls in December this year.
Ghana will hold both presidential and parliamentary elections December 7, 2012.
In a statement copied to ghanabusinessnews.com and signed by its Executive Secretary, Jones Borteye Applerh April 3, 2012, the Commission said the growing impact of small arms in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Spends $Millions on Assault Weapons in Election Run-up
23 March 2012
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS - Sierra Leone's government should explain why it bought millions of dollars worth of assault weapons to equip a recently enlarged paramilitary wing of its police as the country prepares for elections in November, the outgoing U.N. envoy said on Thursday.
Michael von der Schulenburg told the U.N. Security Council that according to a leaked shipping document the weapons bought by the West African state in January included heavy machine guns and grenade... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama,Liberia,Oman,Yemen,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Mauritius,Seychelles,Mongolia,Djibouti,Madagascar,United Arab Emirates,United Kingdom,Somalia,Kenya
Anti-piracy Security Firms Keep Guns in Floating Armouries to Avoid Law
22 March 2012
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say.
Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Australia,Brazil,Nigeria,Canada
Canada Changed Its Arms Policy, Chose UN Delegate to Suit Gun Lobby
21 March 2012
CBC News (Canada)
The office of Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird ordered last-minute changes to Canada's position on an international arms treaty, as well as to its delegation to meetings at United Nations headquarters, CBC News has learned.
According to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act, the minister's office ignored advice from the department and ordered civil servants to invite Steve Torino, president of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA), to... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Trained on Firearm Handling after Spate of Extra Judicial Killings
19 March 2012
Vanguard (Lagos)
The Nigeria Police Force has begun capacity building with particular reference to handling of arms by policemen, following spate of extra judicial killings across the country.
To this end, 5,000 policemen have concluded the first batch of training on when and how to use the firearms.
This came as the Federal Government has concluded plans to provide the Nigeria Police Force with enough patrol vehicles, with a view to carrying out surveillance on Nigerian roads,... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Satisfied with Pace of Amnesty - 1,300 Arms Collected in Côte d'Ivoire
19 March 2012
Defence Web (South Africa)
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire has said it is encouraged by the pace of its arms collection exercise that started in June last year, but noted that much remains to be done to take away weapons from civilians and those who may have participated in past conflicts.
"To date 2,000 ex-combatants have voluntarily handed in 1,300 weapons and some 50,000 pieces of ammunition," Hamadoun Touré, spokesperson for the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire... (GunPolicy.org)
Senegal: 456 Licences to Carry Firearms Granted in 2011 [Francais]
14 March 2012
Press Afrik (Dakar)
[Translated summary: An annual report from Senegal Ministry of Interior reveals that there were 1,556 applications for licences to carry or to possess firearms in 2011. 456 authorisations were granted.]
La demande en armement a été forte au cours de l'année 2011. 1556 demandes de permis de port ou détention d'armes à feu ont été enregistrées par l'APS de la période allant de janvier à novembre 2011.
456 autorisations ont été notées parmi les 1556... (GunPolicy.org)
Côte d'Ivoire,Mali,Togo,West Africa,Ghana,Kenya
Ghana National Security Receives Firearm Marking Machines
7 March 2012
Ghana News Agency
The Regional Centre for Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) based in Kenya, on Wednesday presented two weapon marking machines to Ghana in efforts to eliminate the illicit trade and proliferation of small arms and weapons.
The donation was made during a three-day training programme for security personnel on weapons marking and record-keeping in Accra and organised in collaboration with the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) and Ministry of the... (GunPolicy.org)
