Angolan authorities have ramped up efforts to regulate the sprawling private security industry, seizing more than 30,000 military-grade firearms in a sweeping crackdown aimed at closing dangerous loopholes in the sector.
Over 1,700 private security firms operate across the country, many of which failed to comply with a 2023 directive to voluntarily surrender illegal or unauthorized weaponry. The follow-up operation, which unfolded over 100 days beginning in February 2025, revealed the scale of non-compliance—prompting alarm over the potential for such arms to fuel criminal activity or instability.
Police officials reported that, in addition to the firearms, more than 214,000 rounds of ammunition and 35,000 magazines were confiscated. This latest initiative marks another chapter in Angola’s decades-long struggle to remove weapons left over from its brutal 27-year civil war, which ended in 2002. Despite previous disarmament campaigns—including a 2008 effort that netted over 200,000 illegal civilian weapons—the persistent presence of unauthorized arms remains a national security concern. Authorities confirmed that 254 prohibited weapons went “missing” in just a 13-month period, underlining the urgency behind recent enforcement measures.
The Police have now made clear that private companies found in possession of banned arms will face criminal prosecution, signaling a shift from voluntary compliance to hardline enforcement. While many firms have since procured legal firearms through authorized channels, the depth of the initial non-compliance has prompted wider questions about oversight, accountability, and the porous nature of Angola’s weapons controls. The country’s fragile post-war peace demands vigilance, and the government appears determined to ensure that private security does not become a backdoor for militarization or arms diversion.