The upper chamber of the National Assembly was on Monday briefed that out of 500 million Illegal weapons circulating in West Africa, about 350 million, which represents 70%, are domiciled in Nigeria for nefarious activities by criminally minded people.
This alarming revelation was made at the public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Navy and Marine Transport on Firearms Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021 and Exclusive Economic Zones Act 2010 (Repeal and Re – Enactment) Bill 2021.
Senator Uba Sani (APC Kaduna Central), while making his presentation at the public hearing, the sponsor of the Bill hinted that the country needs to urgently address the worrisome situation, lamenting that proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition in the country with little or no control by relevant authorities has profound implications for collective survival of Nigerians and Nigeria .
His words : “We are gathered here to deal with a matter that has profound implications for our collective survival.
“We are under siege from murderous non- state actors. They have been acquiring arms illegally, maiming our people and threatening the continued existence of our dear Nation.
“We either take measures to deny them of the oxygen that sustains their nefarious activities, or we watch helplessly as they overrun us and our country.”
The lawmaker explained that the main aim of the proposed amendments to the Firearms Act, is to curtail the proliferation of illegal arms and bring the existing law in line with global best practices.
Speaking further on the frightening development, the lawmaker said, “the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), recently reported that the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nigeria, has reached an alarming proportion.
“Analysts estimate that out of the 500 million weapons circulating in West Africa, 350 million, which represents 70% of such weapons, can be found in Nigeria.
“A pointer to this effect can be cited with the incidence of January 31st, 2017, when the Nigeria Customs Service confirmed the interception and seizure of 661 Pump Action Riffles imported from China into our country .
“More recently in Benue State, a local militia had the temerity to kill an Army Captain and 11 Soldiers not to talk of reign of terror in Owerri, Imo state by gunmen who launched coordinated attacks on the Police headquarters and Correctional Centre.
“Something must be done urgently to curtail arms proliferation, the very reason for the proposed amendment bill on the existing Firearms Act.”
One of the major penalties for offence under the Act is the one under section 27 (sub section 1c) , which proposed increase of fine from N1,000 to N1million.
Objecting to the N1 million fine for illegal possession of firearms, the representative of Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Oladayo Amao, in his submission, said that the fine should be increased to N2 million.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), who spoke earlier, said the purpose of the two bills were to further strengthen the nation’s extant laws against illegal firearms possession and proliferation.
He added that other purpose was to make provisions for the Act on Exclusive Economic Zone to be in line with global practices as far as protection of the nation’s territorial sea or waters are concerned.
