By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the executive order restraining ownership of guns.
The House particularly urged the President to, in the interest of the Nigerian people who are vulnerable to the activities of mindless criminals, terrorists, bandits and kidnappers reverse the decision as it strips the people of the rights to life and self defense.
It’s equally urged the President to sign into law the bill on the establishment of the (National) Commission against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which is not only a domestic law but a treaty obligation to help curb the inflow of illegal weapons that have been used in the theatre of war.
The House resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance on:
‘Executive order to remove, revoke and banish all firearms certificates and licences throughout the federation’ moved by Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP, Abia).
Elendu-Ukeje while presenting the motion said, “the House notes with concern the rising spate of insecurity in our country.
“Worried that insecurity which was hitherto confined to the Northeast, the North central States has spread rapidly to the Northwestern States and all other parts of the country.
“Further worried that there is an increased number of deaths resulting from terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
“Notes that 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 guns certificates and licences throughout the Federation.
“Concerned that this omnibus order targets illegal gun owners and their guns while there doesn’t seem to be institutional actionable policy or plan to mop up small arms and light weapons that are at the center of these crime.
“Convinced that the high number of illegal guns is responsible among others factors for the increase in crime”.
“Judging from the number of motions, there is a consensus that insecurity has become a national and this executive order only targets the legal guns and there is non to address those with illegal guns.
“There is no statistics to show that the crime perpetrated by licensed guns outweighs the number of crime committed by unlicensed guns and also people go through stringent scrutiny to get license”. for guns.
Speaking in support of the motion, Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau) cautioned that, “government should not expose Nigerians to all forms of attack because a criminal will not go for license because that will expose them and I think he should rescind that order and should do every thing possible to mop up illegal guns”.
Abubakar Chika (APC, Niger) noted that, “there is no empirical study to prove that. The danger is that it will make all of us very vulnerable to attacks. We have communities that people with licensed guns provide security to their communities for instance involving in vigilante services and that to some extent put fear in the minds of those hoodlums and that also secures the environment”.
Segun Adekola (APC, Ekiti) in his contribution maintained that, “the order is to make everybody vulnerable in Nigeria. Anybody with secured license for his or her gun wouldn’t want to be caught.
Sunday Adepoju (APC Oyo), “majority of those having guns that are licensed are well to do personalities in the country. For instance, in a community or area where there are those with legal guns, the moment hoodlums come close and they hear gunshots, they will flee”.
Furthermore, Simon Arabo ( PDP, Kaduna) argued that, “you cannot use an executive order to override a lawfully acquired weapon. If most of the weapons are being used illegally, it is for the security to go and tackle that. Not for people who have theirs legally. I think that executive order if it has been signed, should be overwritten”.
Mojeed Alabi (APC, Osun) however supported mopping up the guns on the ground that the police “has no clear criteria for issuing a gun licence in Nigeria except you want to give them money.
“So people take guns without any procedure visible to all of us. If the police do not have a full regulations guiding ownership or acquisition of guns, then I will advise they be withdrawn.
“The procedure is wrong and because of that, the President is right to say they withdraw it. Let them come up with regulations”.
