Women are increasingly involved in banditry-linked arms trafficking in Nigeria's north-west. Between December 2022 and February 2023, police arrested several female gunrunners in Nigeria's Zamfara State for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to bandits. Several news reports on illegal arms movements and sales in north-west Nigeria over the past three years involve women traffickers. States in Nigeria where bandits are activeAn estimated 30 000 bandits in groups ranging from 10 to over 1 000 fighters operate in north-west Nigeria. Abdurrahman says bandits take advantage of this poverty, enticing women into arms trafficking for money or other valuable materials.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 14, 2023 10:01 UTC