The Senate on Tuesday said it has limited power to address insecurity ravaging the country.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan stated this in his contribution to a debate on a Bill titled: “The Firearms Act CAP F28 LFN 2004 (amendment) Bill, 2021” sponsored by Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna Central).
Lawan said the Red Chamber could only talk about insecurity, debate it and insist that something is done to address the problem.
He said the power to implement policies and programmes aim at addressing security challenges rests on the executive.
Lawan said: “For us in the National Assembly, it has been a very difficult time probably the most difficult because our people face these daily security challenges.
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“The question is always what are you people doing and unfortunately the legislature is limited in what it can do.
“It cannot implement but it can talk about it, discuss it, debate it and insist on it.
“I believe that this executive is ready to do something to improve the security situation and now that we are seeing a different and improved approach maybe the end to insecurity in the country is in sight.
“Recently we have seen the National Security Adviser working with the Service Chiefs and others in a coordinated manner.
“We pray that this is sustained and that for us we will give them every possible support.”
challenges currently plaguing Nigeria,” he said.
He noted that in January 2017, the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted and seized 661 Pump Action rifles imported illegally into the country from China.
“Had such weapons escaped the eagle eyes of our custom officers and found their way into our communities that are in the grip of murderous elements, we would have had a clearly unmanageable insecurity situation,” he added.
To him, the objectives of the Bill include: “To proffer an effective, coordinated and sustained legislative strategy to address the underlying factors encouraging the circulation of arms and concurrently block the outlets through which illicit firearms are proliferated.
“To take proactive measures in stopping easy access to and re-circulation of illegal arms in our communities.”
The bill, after scaling second reading, was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work.
