Arms control centre seeks review of firearm act of 1959

The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has called for a holistic review of the 1959 Firearms Act for efficient control of illicit arms in Nigeria.

The Director-General of NCCSALW, retired DIG Johnson Kokumo, made the call at the Workshop on the Review of the Firearms Act of 1959 on Tuesday in Abuja.

Kokumo said that Nigeria had, for over six decades, guided Nigerians from a military framework on arms control, saying the world had, however, evolved dramatically.

He said the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, emerging transnational threats and shifting security landscapes had rendered some of the long-standing legal and operational approaches insufficient.

“What once served as a baseline for firearms regulation must now be updated to reflect the complex realities we face today.

“Realities shared by regional established porous borders, sophisticated illicit markets and rapidly advancing technologies.

“This workshop provides us an invaluable opportunity to address these challenges systematically by bringing together key stakeholders, government ministries, security agencies, legal experts, civil society and international partners.

“We aim to scrutinise the existing provisions of the firearms act, identify gaps and propose amendments that align with global best practices.

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“We must incorporate the provisions of relevant international conventions, strengthen our oversight mechanisms, ensure reliable tracking and registration systems, and refine our penalties to deter and punish offenders effectively,’’ he said.

Kokumo reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the centre to a safer and secure Nigeria through collaborative efforts, knowledge sharing and harmonisation of legal frameworks to address the proliferation of illicit arms collectively.

He said the centre aimed to protect citizens and contribute to regional stability and the realisation of international peace and security goals.

“This workshop stands as evidence of our collective reasoning. We are not merely responding to change; we are proactively shaping the future of arms control in Nigeria.

Dr Dickson Orji, President of the GOLHD Centre and one of the facilitators of the workshop, said that illicit arms were tools that emboldened non-state actors and other criminals.

Orji said there was a need to create strategies and methods to solve the problem of firearms use and misuse in Nigeria.

According to him, dynamics are changing and the import and impact of insecurity are also changing, and we are still relying on a document that was done so many years ago to mitigate the challenges.