The Senate has passed the Firearms Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021, and increased the fine for illegal importation and sales of firearms to N1 million.
In the existing act, the fine is pegged at N1,000.
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 fails to surrender illegal firearms to the relevant authorities during a proclamation for such.
While clause 39 of the bill was amended to include other law enforcement agencies that can seize and destroy illegal firearms, aside the police and military.
The bill was passed on Tuesday after the senate considered the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, chaired by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
Bamidele said the N1,000 fine contained in the extant Act was not punitive enough to deter illegal importation and sales of firearms in Nigeria, adding that would serve as a deterrent and strengthen the current efforts towards the control of illicit and illegal firearms into the country.
“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.
He said the bill has become imperative in view of the proliferation of firearms, coupled with the security challenges facing the country.
The bill also 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.
