Citation

John IA, Mohammed AZ, Pinto AD, Nkanta CA. J. Public Health Policy 2007; 28(4): 420-431.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. imejohn@yahoo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -- Palgrave-Macmillan)

DOI

10.1057/palgrave.jphp.3200155

PMID

17955007

Abstract

We investigated small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Africa by reviewing the situation in Nigeria and conducting a small study in one hospital in the country's north. Published reports about SALW in Nigeria suggest that several social, economic, and political factors have caused a marked increase in gun-related violence, including ethno-religious tensions, the response of security forces to criminal activity, and growing economic disparity. In Kano, a northern city that has been the focal point of communal riots between Christians and Muslims, we found that firearm injuries were linked to these riots. We recommend increased outreach to disenfranchised youth, addressing the use of firearms by security forces, and addressing the political and economic disparity between ethnic and religious groups.

Language: en