Nicolas Florquin

Parents of students abducted from Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna State, north-west Nigeria, pray inside the school premises. Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images

Violent extremism could beckon in north‑western Nigeria if local dynamics are ignored

To stem the tide of violent extremism across the Sahel region, especially northwest Nigeria, the vulnerabilities and grudges of border communities need to be properly addressed.
A stash of Kalashnikovs and locally made hunting rifles surrendered by a local vigilante group in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria. Photo by Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images

Arms trade to Africa can be opaque: why this is dangerous

New illicit flows of arms and ammunition contribute to fueling conflict and instability in West Africa.
A lorry trailer carries the coffins of the victims of a munitions explosion in Brazzaville, the Congolese capital, in 2012. Junior D. Kannah/AFP via Getty Images

Stockpiling munitions carries risks. The basic steps that can stop catastrophic explosions

Data suggests that Africa as a whole suffers a relatively high rate of casualties at munition sites where there are unplanned explosions.

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