The House of Representatives yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind the Executive Order to remove, revoke and banish all firearms certificates and licences throughout the country. This is as it also urged the president to sign into law, the Bill on the Establishment of a (National) Commission against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The call is sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, who expressed concern over the rising spate of insecurity in our country.
According to her, in response to the local and international outcry and concern for Nigeria security situation, Mr President signed an executive order to remove, revoke and banish all gun certificates and licences throughout the federation.
“The omnibus order targets legal gun owners and their guns, while little or no efforts are made towards mopping up small arms and light weapons that are used to perpetrate these crimes; “The bulk of illegal arms and ammunition are responsible amongst other factors for the increase in crime in this country not those light weapons owned by licensed gun owners”, Ukeje stated.
Similarly, Hon Edward Pwajork while decrying the order, posited that it would only exacerbate the level of insecurity in the country and make citizens more vulnerable to attacks. Also in his contribution, Hon. Sunday Adepoju (Oyo, PDP) said that the security agencies should ensure that all ammunitions outside the legally licenced ones are recovered.
“The order is not driven by empirical facts or intelligence because there is no proof to show that crimes are perpetrated by licensed guns owners. And I can say that 99 percent of them do not use their guns. “This order will only deprive citizens the rights to life and security. But more importantly, it is counter-productive and ill-advised.”
