theplenary offers an insight into Senator Ned Nwoko’s private gun ownership bill currently at the Senate.

“I can tell you that we do not have the number of Police men that we need to secure Nigeria and the military are also not able to deal with the issues.
“My bill is predicated on the lawlessness that is currently pervading the nation. We all have experienced it or we know someone that has experienced it. We have come to a point in this nation where we have to make an honest admission to ourselves, which is that the security agents cannot really protect lives, and properties as stated in the constitution. The common man is left to his fate. He does not get any kind of support from the police and the police force is unequipped, ill funded, not capable of discharging those onerous duties and that is a fact.
“I am in the senate committee on police matters and I can tell you that we do not have the number of police men that we need to secure Nigeria as a country. The military on the other hand, have been spending billions of Naira over the years, buying warplanes, different arms and ammunition in the name of fighting terrorism and other crimes. But they are also not able to deal with the issues and a lot of money has been spent and lives lost, and we are nowhere in finding solutions.
“The idea of a bill to enable Nigerians carry arms to defend themselves is born out of desperation, the fact that people do not have the kind of protection that they need. In Nigeria what stops us from having an emergency number and this is one of those things that we just need to address. How do you help the ordinary Nigerians to reach out to the security forces or emergency services in the event of trouble?
“It is not just about people carrying arms. There are measures that are proposed and they are very strict measures. What I am trying to do is to have a system where people who are willing to carry arms are given the opportunity to so do. The first condition that must be met is that every local government must have a gun shooting school and if you want to have a gun and a license, the first thing is to be trained on the use of arms. These shooting schools will be run by former military officers and owned by them.
“When you have gone through the process and you are able to use the arms, the next step is to go to your King or your Emir or Oba who will confirm that you are from that particular place. Then the next thing to do is to go to two doctors who will certify that you are mentally fit to bear arms.
“Next is your local government chairman who will also confirm that you are from that place and then you go to the DPO of that locality who will also confirm that you don’t have any criminal record. Majority of Nigerians are responsible. If you own a gun and the would-be attackers know that, the possibility of them coming to attack you or rape in your house is almost Nil. There are many vigilantes and security companies in Nigeria who are not even allowed to carry arms”
Strong and compelling words no doubt, from Senator Ned Nwoko representing the Delta North senatorial district.
Kidnappings in Nigeria, ‘increased from 31 incidents in 2013 with 351 kidnap victims to 84 in 2014 with 897 victims to 111 in 2015 with 926 victims to 137 in 2016 with 347 victims, 141 in 2017 with 532 victims, 157 in 2018 with 1,014 victims, 331 in 2019 with 1421 victims, 439 in 2020 with 2879 victims, 590 in 2021 with 5,287 victms’.
As at August 2023, ‘more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped in Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State’, that is outside the over 350 recently kidnapped from two schools in Kaduna State.
‘In February 2021, the International Centre For Investigative Reporting, ICIR, reported how terrorists kidnapped 881 school children and students under Buhari’s watch in less than seven years’
While ‘a report shows over 10,000 people died from insecurity-related causes in 2021 alone in Nigeria’.
Reports say ‘over 200 violent attacks have been recorded across all six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023. The incidents led to the death of no fewer than 87 residents of the FCT, while 176 were kidnapped within the period’.
Armed Robbery attacks in the FCT have become commonplace. Perhaps the precursor of these attacks and maybe the most scary, because it happened in the heart of the FCT, was when in July 2022, armed robbers numbering 30 ‘invaded a compound of about 15 flats located at Agadez Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, at the early hours and successfully robbed about 10 flats’.
This trend has continued to the year 2024. Sometime in February 2024, the Police reported the arrest of an ex-convict and 5 other robbers in Abuja.
‘Nwoko’s bill is timely and deserves serious consideration. It is clear that Nigerians need to protect themselves. When a Senator and member of the senate committee on police speaks, the way he has spoken, then what further proof do you need on the failure of the security agencies to protect us? What is really happening? How di we get here?” Aminu Haruna, a civil servant said.
But Nigerians are fearful that even if the senate passes the bill, it may not become law. “You see, I have not read the bill but I think the senator has it well thought out. I like his faith in the Nigerian people. Yes, Nigerians are known to circumvent the law and that is the main fear, despite the bills provision for robust background checks. But will the elites and politicians want it to become law? Would the thieving politician or the amorous elites want their drivers or wives to own a gun?
We are living at a time of great hunger and anger. How do you perform a mental check on hunger and anger, things that could trigger, even a mentally sound mind? How do you ensure that a mental check is sufficient for a person with serious inner religious fundamentalism?” asks Timi Ofone, a businessman.
“My own concern is with the funding source for gun schools or shooting range in all the local government areas. How will it be funded? Is it Public Private Partnership? Or will the government fund it? Outside that, I think most Nigerians will want to own a gun for their own protection. There is some private confidence in knowing you have a deterrent. No matter how you analyze the pros and cons, I think the winner is crystal clear. It is time to allow citizens desirous of owning guns to do so. Nothing else. Nwoko is speaking the truth. Nothing should stop full consideration and passing the bill into law. Enough is enough,” said Offiong Edem, a businessman in Abuja, said.