Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) chairman Benjamin Chukwudi Okoko has called on the Federal Government to review Nigeria's firearms laws and allow law-abiding citizens to legally own and carry guns for self-defence, as insecurity continues to escalate nationwide.
Okoko's call for liberalised gun ownership
Okoko, a former chairman of the NBA Idemili Branch, made the appeal while speaking in Onitsha, Anambra State. He argued that many Nigerians have become easy targets for terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other violent criminals because they lack the means to defend themselves. He urged the government to liberalise firearm ownership through a regulated licensing system that would permit responsible citizens to acquire arms for personal protection.
"Government should liberalise the ownership of arms and ammunition to enable Nigerians procure arms for self-defence against gunmen and bandits," Okoko said. He stressed that his proposal was not an invitation to lawlessness but a call for the government to empower responsible citizens to protect themselves where security agencies are unable to respond promptly to attacks.
Criticism of security checkpoints
Beyond his call for licensed civilian gun ownership, Okoko criticised the growing number of security checkpoints across the South-East, alleging that many have become centres for extortion rather than effective crime prevention. He claimed that personnel from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and some local vigilante groups operate numerous checkpoints that unnecessarily delay motorists and increase transportation costs.
Okoko said the multiple roadblocks waste commuters' time, increase fuel consumption and create avoidable hardship for businesses and travellers. He urged the leadership of security agencies to sanitise their operations and ensure checkpoints serve genuine security purposes rather than becoming avenues for illegal revenue collection.
Cargo inspection concerns
The former NBA chairman also criticised repeated cargo inspections by customs officers on goods that had already been cleared at seaports, saying the practice discourages business and increases the cost of moving goods across the country.
Renewed debate on firearms laws
His comments come amid renewed debate over how Nigeria should tackle rising cases of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and violent attacks. Calls for licensed civilian gun ownership have resurfaced in recent years, with supporters arguing that responsible citizens should be allowed to defend themselves in the face of overstretched security agencies. However, opponents warn that relaxing firearms regulations could increase the circulation of weapons among civilians and potentially worsen crime, communal violence and insecurity.
Nigeria currently operates one of Africa's strictest firearms licensing regimes under the Firearms Act, which requires applicants to obtain government approval before possessing specified categories of weapons. Okoko maintained that reviewing the existing law could help restore confidence among citizens while complementing the efforts of security agencies in tackling violent crime.
