Can the FG License Firearms for Citizens’ Defence? What the Law Says

As insecurity continues to trouble many parts of Nigeria, a difficult but increasingly urgent question has resurfaced in public discourse: Should the Federal Government allow citizens to legally own firearms for self-defence? 

Communities across the country, from the North-West to the South-East, are demanding stronger protection as kidnappings, banditry, and violent attacks intensify. 

This desperation has revived calls for a regulated system that permits responsible citizens to carry firearms. But the idea remains controversial, dividing security experts, policymakers, and everyday Nigerians.

What the Law Says About Firearm Licensing in Nigeria

Under Nigerian law, firearm regulation is controlled by the Firearms Act of 1959, one of the strictest in the world. According to the Act, only the President, or an official delegated by him, can approve firearm licences. 

Civilians are legally restricted to non-military weapons such as shotguns, sporting rifles, and pistols, and even these are rarely approved. Automatic weapons like AK-47s remain completely prohibited. 

In reality, Nigeria’s licensing system is almost non-existent because authorities have frozen or severely limited approvals due to security concerns, corruption risks, and weak monitoring structures.

Why Critics Strongly Oppose the Idea

However, critics fiercely oppose the notion of arming civilians, insisting that Nigeria’s fragile security architecture cannot withstand widespread gun ownership. 

They warn that the country’s high unemployment, political tensions, communal clashes, and weak law enforcement could turn licensed weapons into tools of chaos. 

For them, flooding society with guns,no matter how regulated,risks escalating violence, empowering criminal gangs, and worsening political thuggery. 

They argue that the real solution lies in strengthening the police, improving intelligence gathering, reforming security institutions, and investing in modern surveillance technologies.

Could the Federal Government Realistically Implement This?

Legally speaking, the Federal Government has the authority to restructure the licensing framework or introduce new rules. 

But the practical and political challenges are enormous. For Nigeria to implement a safe firearm licensing system, it would need a modernised Firearms Act, a digital national registry, reliable mental health screening systems, state–federal coordination, and strong oversight to prevent misuse or diversion. 

Without these foundations, security experts believe that firearm licensing could create new dangers rather than address existing ones.