Admin l Thursday, May 30, 2019
ABUJA, Nigeria – Members of the House of Representatives have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind his decision to revoke gun licences as a result of recent killings and high level of insecurity in the country.
The lawmakers made the call following reports that President Buhari has signed into law an executive powers to remove, revoke, banish all firearm or shotgun certificate or license in Nigeria
According to reports, the executive order will start from 1st June 2019. According to the reports, Civil Defense Corps and other security organisation may no longer be allowed to carry weapons from 1st June 2019 except police and the military.
Dr. Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, PDP member, representing Bende constituency, Abia State in the House of Representatives, who brought the motion before the house quoted relevant sections of the Fire Arms Act that authorised the President and the Inspector General of Police to issue gun licences for shot guns.
She said those responsible for insecurity in Nigeria carry sophisticated guns like AK47 riffles and other guns which are illegal and not licensed in Nigeria. She said that the Fire Arm Act required the police to interview prospective applicants, who must not have any criminal records and must not have been convicted to qualify for issuance of gun license.
She said that to revoke gun licence is to put responsible Nigerians at the mercy of criminal elements and called on the President to rescind the decision, stressing that the President’s executive order will worsen insecurity in Nigeria.
In his contribution, Hon. Chika Adama lambasted the President for such an executive order without any study to show that crimes committed in Nigeria are committed by people with licenced guns.
“Executive order, will make our commnities ungovernable. People with licencesed guns provide security for their communities. Without licenced guns, society will become ungovernable. With the executie order we are pusing the community into chaos. I never had a gun but those who have it give me security”, he said.
In his contribution, Hon. Segun Alexandar Adekola urged President Buhari to resceind this decidion with immediate alacrity, adding that the Executive Order will make Nigerians vulnerable to hoodlums.
“Most kidnappers, rubbers don’t have licenced guns, which they use to to kill and maime Nigerians. Those who secure gun licences will not want their guns to be used for illegal matters”, he said, adding that most armed robbers do not attack estates because they know that residents have licensed guns, which they can use to withstand their attacks. “We reject this ban on licensed guns”, he said.
Also speaking, Hon. Sunday Adepoju, representing Ibarapa East faulted the procedure for withdrawing the guns. “If you withdraw the gun, we will look for other means of protecting ourself. Lack of licensed guns will create a free for all situation for armed robbers”, he said.
