Insecurity: Nigerian lawmakers consider reviewing firearm law to allow citizens to own guns

Nigerian senators on Wednesday voted unanimously in support of a proposal seeking a review of the country’s firearm laws to permit responsible citizens to own or bear ammunition.

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The lawmakers adopted the proposal through a voice vote conducted by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The proposal was one of the prayers in a motion sponsored by Oyelola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South), on the rising cases of kidnapping in the country, particularly in Niger, Kwara and Kebbi, where there were security challenges in the last two weeks.

In his motion, Mr Ashiru, who is the deputy senate leader, complained about the terrorist attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Igan, in Eruku, Kwara State, where three worshippers were killed and 38 others abducted.

He also referenced the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and the abduction of 303 pupils, students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.

The senator said intelligence reports on the nation’s security situation indicate the involvement of international collaborators, driven by economic and political desperation, who aid criminal groups with information, logistics and escape routes.

Mr Ashiru expressed concern that his senatorial district alone had recorded over 40 abductions within 18 months, a trend mirrored in neighbouring communities and states.

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He warned that the continuous attacks could lead to mass displacement, prolonged school closures, collapsed livelihoods and long-term psychological trauma among children and vulnerable populations.

He, therefore, urged the Senate to advise the federal government to strengthen local vigilante groups and review Nigeria’s firearm laws to allow citizens to own ammunition.

“Advise the federal government to strengthen the local vigilante to be able to respond swiftly to similar attacks in the future. This should also include a review of Nigeria’s firearm law to reflect the current security challenges, as we have in over 175 countries where responsible citizens are permitted to own guns,” he said.

Mr Ashiru also urged the Senate to mandate its security-related committees, including Defence, Army, Navy and Interior, to investigate the sudden withdrawal of military personnel from the Kebbi school shortly before the bandits’ invasion, and report back urgently.

He further requested that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and NEMA provide immediate relief to traumatised families and affected communities, especially where schools have been shut down.

Nigerians’ quest for their own guns

The proposal comes at a time when many Nigerians, especially youth, are demanding permanent licences to own guns for self-protection as kidnapping incidents surge nationwide.

In recent weeks, photos have circulated online showing individuals taking firearms to worship centres for protection.

Under the current law, Nigerians require a licence from the President of the country or the Inspector-General of Police to own a firearm, which is restricted to the type specified in the permit. Licensing is governed by the Firearms Act.

Applicants must be at least 17 years old and pass background checks for criminal records, mental health conditions and substance abuse. The Act mandates strict safe-custody rules, a 14-day notification period for lost or stolen weapons, and yearly licence renewal.

The police suspended the issuance of small-arms licences in August 2023 due to the proliferation of illegal weapons.

Debate

During the debate, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin linked the rise in banditry and kidnapping to reactions following the comment of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, on alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria.

He insisted that those fuelling criminality are enemies of the nation, adding that solving insecurity is a collective responsibility.

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“These problems are surmountable and we shall solve them. It is something that is for all of us; it doesn’t reside on the shoulders of the federal government or the state government alone. We have to be united. The routes used by the terrorists are interconnected, from one state to another. By the time you have surveillance, you’ll see that they move in convoys to commit these atrocities.

“Leaving the matter alone to the federal government will not work. We should also seek assistance from our overseas partners. It should be a collective effort. It is something that is doable; we should do it so that we can secure our country,” he said.

Aliyu Wamakko (APC, Sokoto North) argued that the military should trace and dislodge bandits from their hideouts. He also opposed the presidential directive withdrawing police from VIPs, warning that it could make them easier kidnapping targets.

Francis Fadahunsi (APC, Osun East) urged the Senate to criminalise negotiations with kidnappers.

Garba Maidoki (APC, Kebbi South) said authorities know the identities and hideouts of many bandits but questioned why the military has failed to apprehend them.

After deliberations, the senate president put the motion and its prayers to a vote, and the majority of senators supported it through a voice vote.