Insecurity: Motion To Carry Arms By Citizens Rejected By Reps

In line with the current state of insecurity in the Nation, the House of Representatives on Wednesday shot down a motion to reverse President Buhari’s Executive Order prohibiting the issuance of licenses for firearms by the police in Nigeria.

The sponsor of the motion, Rep. Uzoma Nkem Abonta (PDP- Abia), failed to present the motion on notice when the public address system went off just after the Speaker had introduced it.

The lawmaker, however, pressed to be heard, when the House Leader, Rep. Alhassan Doguwa (APC-Kano), interjected saying the motion was “dead on arrival”, because according to him, it was an unpopular subject.

The motion was entitled “Need to Reverse the Executive Order and Police Directive banning Possession and Issuance of New Licenses for Firearms in the Country”.

Sensing a strong swell of opposition to the motion, Abonta appealed to the speaker to allow him to step it down for next week Tuesday.
However, the Speaker urged Abonta to go ahead and take the motion since the public address system had been restored, or withdraw it all together so as not to waste legislative time.

Gbajabiamila told Abonta that listing the motion for Tuesday could jeopardize the chances of other items making the order paper, adding that “so many issues are pending and in need of attention”.