From gun totting street gangs to rampaging herdsmen: why Nigeria’s Firearm Act is dead
The current Firearms laws are contained in the exclusive legislative list provided in the schedule to the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
The firearms act, chapter 146, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1990 is not strong enough to constitute a deterrent on the nefarious activities of criminals like Fulani herdsmen; the law needs to be reviewed as the “existing Act lacked the bite to hand over commensurate sanctions to culprits or breaches of the Act.
The following reasons are the major reasons why Nigeria’s firearm Act need to be reviewed:
Government hardly jail importers of arms:
Illegal possession of firearms under the firearms act is a criminal offence, the Act doesn’t seem to carry weight due to the number of illegal firearms in circulation which leaves one wondering how they found their ways to the hands of the possessors, the problem posed by the proliferation of illicit weapons to national peace and security, especially the role of illegal arms in strengthening non-state actors and reinforcing criminal networks like Boko Haram terrorist group is lamentable
A situation where everybody in the country is armed does not augur well for the security of the nation and her people:
The level of crime rate in Nigeria keep on escalating day-in-day-out, crimes like kidnapping, armed robberies, car-jacking, terrorism, is on the increase, most of these crimes are carried out with the use of guns, explosives and dangerous weapons
The frequency with which arms and ammunition were illegally imported was not good for the country. The government needs to checkmate the illicit importation of these weapons from source. People who do bad businesses could be behind the imports.
Although, one could not ascertain what became of the officers after their arrest.
Government need to sensitise the populace on the consequence of contravening the firearms act
Such deadly contravention of the law is very dangerous considering the fragile security situation in the country presently
