— Says Presidential Proclamation Should Set out Clearly, Areas Covered By The ‘No Fly’ Zone In Zamfara
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Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB), has called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari to make a proclamation barring the used of AK-47 and other dangerous weapons.
The group also asked Buhari to order the police and other security agencies to go after any person terrorizing unarmed citizens with these weapons.
The interim chairman of the group, Femi Falana SAN, made this remark on Tuesday stating that prohibition of firearms requires a Presidential proclamation.
Recall that in August 2020, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu had ordered Commissioners of police across Nigeria to “identify, isolate, disarm, arrest and prosecute” individuals or groups found in possession of prohibited firearms.
According to the statement by the Learned Silk, made available to TheNigerialawyer, for some undisclosed reasons, the directive of the Inspector-General of Police was ignored by respective Police Commissioners. Hence, the proliferation of prohibited firearms has been on the ascendancy
He said: “To compound the crisis of insecurity in the country, some highly placed public officers have stated that herders are entitled to arm themselves with AK rifles without license.
“However, a presidential media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu announced last week that President Buhari had directed “security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47. He ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately.”
Since the President has deployed the armed forces in the northeast and northwest regions to wage a war on terror and banditry it is implied that AK 47 bearing criminal elements in the”bushes” would be killed in view of the violent attacks unleashed by them on unarmed citizens including children.
“To that extent, the presidential directive on “shoot on sight” was uncalled for. No doubt, some people have questioned the order prohibiting the illegal possession of arms and ammunition on the ground that it was not made directly by the President. Others have said that the order of the President does not cover other criminally minded people armed with AK 47 rifles and other dangerous weapons operating outside the”bushes”.
“In fact, the members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have condemned the selective imposition of a “No Fly” Zone on the State alone when arms and ammunition are equally supplied by helicopters to the terrorists and bandits operating in the northeast and northwest regions.
He also added that It is pertinent to point out that it is the prerogative of the President to prohibit the possession of or dealing in any firearms or ammunition without authorisation. But such Prohibition has to be expressly outlined in a Proclamation made by the President.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 35 of the Firearms Act Cap Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 provides that “The President, if he thinks fit, may at any time by proclamation prohibit the possession of or dealing in any firearms or ammunition, either throughout the Federation or in any part thereof, and either absolutely or except subject to such restrictions or conditions as may be specified.
“We are therefore compelled to call on President Buhari to make a Proclamation authorizing the Police and other security forces to disarm, arrest and prosecute criminal elements and gangs who are terrorizng unarmed citizens with AK 47 rifles and other dangerous weapons in accordance with the provisions of the Firearms Act and the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act.
“The Proclamation should also set out the areas that are covered by the “No Fly” Zone with a view to stopping further supply of weapons to terrorists, bandits and kidnappers operating in some states of in the north east and north west regions.
“However, since the offence of illegal possession of arms and ammunition does not attract the death penalty the President may wish to propose amendments to the Firearms Act and the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act. Armed Robbery Act,” added Falana SAN.
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