Reps bill seeking stiffer penalties for firearms’ possession passes 2nd reading

The House of Representatives yesterday passed for second reading, a bill to provide stiffer penalties for possession of illegal firearms.

The bill also seeks to introduce new regulations that will reform the existing provisions of the law for more effective regulation of manufacturing and possession of firearms.

It was sponsored by Adejoro Adeogun (APC, Ogun) and Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta).

Adeogun said the bill sought to amend 16 sections of the Firearms Act 2004 to allow for provision of stricter requirements and legal framework for licensing of fire arms ownership proficiency training, storage, sale, assemblage and manufacturing of firearms in Nigeria.

He said, the firearms Act LFN 2004, was an adaptation of the 1959 Fire Arms Act put in place before Nigeria assumed political independence.

“At the time the 2004 Act was conceived, the number of illicit weapons in private hands were still limited and level of insecurity relatively low in Nigeria.”