The Senate has passed to second reading a Bill for an act to repeal Firearms Control Act No. 32 and establish a comprehensive system of Firearms Control 2022.
Presenting the Bill, the sponsor, Senator Muhammed Sam Musa believed that the bill when passed would prevent the proliferation of illegally possessed firearms.
Muhammed Musa said the bill would also provide for the removal of those firearms from society and by improving control over legally possessed firearms, to prevent crime involving the use of firearms.
He further explained that the essence of the repeal was to edit the existing legislation, the Firearms Control Act No. 32 of 1959 Cap. F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, was for it to meet the needs of a modern society as it’s inherently inaccurate.
The main aim of this Bill according to the law maker was to tighten firearms control and curtail the proliferation of illegal arms and bring it in line with global best practices to effectively address some of the security challenges being currently experience in Nigeria as a result of proliferation of such firearms.
He also said the most devastating effects of the proliferation of illegal weapons as a result of spill-over effects of the crises in Libya and Mali as well as unresolved International conflicts in different parts of the country such as the North East, Niger Delta and other regions were causing serious threat to peace and security of this country as a Nation.
Bashir Mayere
