The Senate, on Wednesday, amended and passed the Firearms Act 2004 Bill to tackle the heightened insecurity situation in the country, fuelled by arms proliferation,
Tribune reported that with the amendment of the extant Act, the fine for illegal importation and sales of firearms has been hiked from N1,000 to N1 million.
The decision to pass the bill was spurred by the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters headed by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
The Senate also amended Section 35 of the bill to increase the fine to N3 million or imprisonment for 3 years or both for anyone who refused to surrender illegal firearms to the relevant authorities after the proclamation.
The new amendment made provision for the inclusion of other law enforcement agencies besides the Police and the military.
Bamidele told his colleagues that the N1,000 fine contained in the extant Act for illegal possession would not serve as deterrence to criminals with networks for illegal importation and sales of firearms in the country.
The senator equally justified the need to expand the number of security agencies statutorily empowered to confiscate and destroy illegal firearms.
“This is necessary because the power to confiscate or seize illegal firearms should be all-inclusive and not limited to a particular arm of force or law enforcement agency,” he said.
The bill equally amended sub-clauses (4) and (5) of clause 39 to allow firearms that are not of military serviceable grades but are serviceable, to be deployed for use by Civilian Joint Task Force and other Registered Vigilantes, under the approval and supervision of the Office of the National Security Adviser.
According to the Senate representing Ekiti Central, “This is important because these joint efforts are also funded by the Government”
He further argued that the bill has become imperative in view of the proliferation of firearms, coupled with the security challenges facing the country.
