The NPF has reiterated that private handgun ownership is prohibited and has issued a warning against gunrunners and false licence claims.

The Nigerian Police Force declared on Thursday that private citizens and non-state actors are still prohibited from possessing guns in Nigeria. The police insisted that the ban on police licensing of weapons is still in place and cautioned the public not to fall for the machinations of gunrunners who would pretend to have connections with the police in order to facilitate a licence for the use of arms for private individuals in the nation.

During the monthly press briefing hosted by the Nigeria Customs Service and organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser under the auspices of the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee (SCIPC) of the security and response agencies, Force PRO Olumuyiwa Adejobi issued this warning while taking questions from the media.

This occurred as the Nigeria Customs Service gave an explanation of the reasoning behind the proclamation of a state of emergency regarding the smuggling of weapons and ammunition into the nation through Onne Port.

During the joint press briefing, Abdullahi Maiwada, the Nigeria Customs Service’s National Public Relations Officer, provided this answer in response to enquiries on the whereabouts of the intercepted arms and the syndicate responsible for their illegal importation.

In addition, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) refuted the widely circulated video that purportedly showed prisoners in their prisons being poorly fed. When answering questions about the topic, Service spokesperson Abubakar Umar denied the viral video and said that Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, has ordered an investigation into the matter. He went on to say that in August, the meal stipend for prisoners throughout the federation was raised by 50%.

The police spokeswoman stated: “You will have to wait until the government removes the prohibition on non-state actors using weapons for personal purposes if you wish to obtain your own firearms. In the event that you hold these illegal firearms in any capacity—personal firearms, for example—you will need to apply for a licence. Regretfully, we are not currently issuing permits. Also, avoid being tricked. Some people will go ahead and issue you licenses that are from the past. It’s still phoney.

He warned the people not to follow anyone into committing crimes, especially when it comes to carrying weapons, emphasising that “this isn’t the same game we used to play.” We intend to treat it with greater gravity and pursue individuals who unlawfully possess firearms.

“We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism, vandalism, or anything that will run down our system and affect the sovereignty of Nigeria as a collective heritage for all of us in this country,” declared Adejobi, indicating that enough was enough.

He claimed that the Customs Service has been catching unauthorised gun imports into the nation and has turned them over to the relevant authorities.

Adejobi stated, “I can say here that we have made some arrests and we are going to address the media on that soon.” In reference to the location of the confiscated weaponry and people responsible for their smuggling. The Office of National Security Adviser’s National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, led by DIG Babatunde Kokumo rtd, has made significant progress in this area. We will undoubtedly have a day to brief the media on our progress to date with regards to the arrests, more recoveries, and other actions we are doing to ensure that these criminal acts in Nigeria are reduced.

Abdullahi Maiwada provided another justification for the state of emergency in Onne Port, stating that according to customs, certain commodities are prohibited by trade and should not be fully imported.

“If we have consistently found weapons and drugs in a port, then vigilance is the definition and context of a state of emergency,” he declared. This implies that we now have a duty to both suppress smuggling and facilitate trade. Therefore, in a state of emergency, we will prioritise stopping smuggling over facilitating trade. Thus, that is essentially the meaning of the term “state of emergency.”

He went on to say, “We are going to examine those items 100% because the consistency of importation of this kind of prohibited items is becoming alarming true Onne Port,” in reference to items that the service may need to shift to bonded terminals or expedite. Other ports are not being overlooked by us.