The House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the Executive Order revoking all gun certificates and licences throughout the federation.
According to the members, the order strips innocent people of the right to life and self-defence.
The lawmakers, who took turns to lash out at the “needlessness” of the said directive, also called for decisive efforts by the government to mop up all illegal arms in the hands of unauthorised persons with which criminal activities were carried out.
The House took a position on it, following a motion under matters of urgent public importance brought by Nnenna Elendu Ukejeh (PDP, Abia), who prayed the House to cause the president to, as a matter of national emergency, rescind his order.
Ukejeh, while moving the motion, described the order as “omnibus” and violates rights to life and self-defence of those licensed to bear arms.
Ukejeh said even those who don’t like Nigeria very much are having reasons to describe her as a “fragile state”.
Contributing to the debate was Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau), who said those who kill people illegally are those with illegal weapons as licensed guns were traceable to their owners if used to commit crimes.
He said many people had licensed guns for over 20 years without having to fire them because they probably didn’t have the need to, nor lack the technical know-how to operate it.
“The order serves no purpose; rather, it causes more insecurity in Nigeria as those with illegal guns will not come forward to submit their guns as it would be tantamount to exposing themselves”, Pwajok said.
He added: “If you disarm legal gun owners and allow criminals to keep theirs, then you would have succeeded in making law-abiding citizens vulnerable and at the mercy of their attackers.”
In his contribution, Majid Alabi (APC-Osun) said that he had applied for a licence for a gun after three robbery attacks, but was denied.
Mr Alabi said that there was no clear-cut, transparent and verifiable process to acquire a gun permit.
He said that some persons could have gotten their licences through the back door adding that there was a need to clean up the system.
He recommended that a transparent process be developed and presented to the National Assembly for proper legislation on the matter.
The rep 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, a domestic law which is also a treaty obligation.
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