Buhari seeks National Assembly passage of bills on arms control, explosives

President Muhammadu Buhari has requested the Senate to consider two executive bills to tackle insecurity in the country.

The proposed laws are meant to control the proliferation of arms and regulate the importation and exportation of explosives in the country.

They are the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2021; and the Explosives Bill, 2021.

The transmission of both bills was accompanied by two separate letters dated August 26 and 27, 2021, respectively.

The letters were read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday.

Buhari, in the letter which accompanied the Explosives Bill, 2021, explained that request for the consideration and eventual passage of the bill was made pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He said, “The Explosives Bill, 2021 seeks to repeal the Explosives Act, 1964 and enact the Explosives Act to regulate the manufacture, storage, possession, use, distribution, purchase, sale, transportation, importation and exportation of explosives and for related matters.”

In the second letter, the President requested the upper chamber to consider the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2021 as a means to curb the spate of insecurity across the country.

The letter read in part, “Pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward herewith, the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2021 for the kind consideration of the Senate.”