Rivers residents condemn FG’s ban on licensed guns

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

A cross section of residents in Rivers State have kicked against the recent law signed by President Muhammadu Buhari prohibiting private individuals in the country to own or carry prohibited weapons or gun.

Most of the residents who aired their views on the issue insisted that the order, if implemented, would spell doom as majority of the people would be left defenseless.

The residents who spoke on condition of anonymity, argued that the arms used by terrorists, gang members, and other criminals elements in the society were unlicensed and more sophisticated than what was permitted by the laws of Nigeria.

One of the vocal residents stated: “Some of these people in authority know the politicians behind all these thugs and all these guns.

If a gun is licensed, the police know the owner so if there is any crime committed with the licensed gun, they know who to go to.

What is the essence of a gun being licensed? It is so that they will know the owner. So I don’t support the idea at all.”