By Edith Imoisili
ABUJA – The House of Representatives yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind the Executive Order to remove, revoke and banish all firearms certificates and licences throughout the country.
This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance mover by Hon. Nnenna Ukeje (Abia, PDP) on the matter on the floor of the House
Ukeje while moving the motion noted with concerns the rising spate of insecurity in our country.
She further noted that insecurity which was hitherto confined to the North East and North Central states have spread to the North Western States and all other parts of the country.
The Abia born PDP lawmaker expressed worries noting that there is an increased number of deaths resulting from terrorism, Kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
She equally noted 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 gun certificates and licences throughout the federation
The lawmaker expressed concerns that this omnibus order targets legal gun owners and their guns while there doesn’t seem to be either institutional actionable policy or plan to mop up small arms and light weapons that are at the center of these crimes
She said: “Convinced that the high number of illegal guns is responsible amongst other factors for the increase in crime”.
Speaking in support, Hon Edward Pwajork (Plateau, PDP) said that the President should only go after those who go about with unlicensed weapons.
He said that the Executive Order signed by the President would only execerbate the level of insecurity in the country.
Also in his contribution, Hon. Sunday Adepoju (Oyo, PDP) said that the security agencies should ensure that all ammunitions outside the legally licenced ones are recovered.
Moreover, another lawmaker Hon. Pally Iriase (Edo, APC) said that the insecurity in the land is so perversive and so government should take proactive measures to address the challenge.
He noted that the cardinal objectives of governance is the security of lives and properties and added that the timing of the Executive Order is wrong.
Consequently, the House presided by the Speaker Hon. Yakubu Dogara put the matter to a voice vote which was overlmingly voted for by the lawmakers
The House equally urged President Buhari to sign into law the law tbe Bill on the Establishment of a (National) Commission against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons which is not only a domestic law but also a treaty obligation so as to help curb the inflow of illegal weapons that had been used in the theater of wars.
