The Senate on Wednesday passed the Firearms Act
2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021 raising the fine for illegal
importation and sale of firearms from N1,000 to N1
million.

The Bill was passed after it considered the report of its
Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal
Matters.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee,
Sen. Michael Bamidele, said “the fine was pegged at
N1,000 in the extant Act which was not punitive
enough to deter illegal importation and sale of
firearms.’’

Section 35 of the Bill was also amended to impose a
fine of N3 million or imprisonment for three years or
both on anyone who failed to surrender illegal
firearms to relevant authorities whenever so directed.

“Clause 39 of the Bill, which deals with power to seize
and destroy confiscated illegal firearms, was amended
to provide for inclusion of other law enforcement
agencies besides the Police and the military.

“This is necessary because the power to confiscate or
seize illegal firearms should be all-inclusive and not
limited to a particular arm of force or law
enforcement agency,’’ Bamidele said.

The Bill also amended Sub-clauses (4) and (5) of
Clause 39 to allow firearms that are not of military
serviceable grades but are serviceable to be deployed
for use by Civilian Joint Task Forces and registered
vigilance groups.

This has to be done with the approval and supervision
of the Office of the National Security Adviser,
however.

“This is important because these joint task forces are
also funded by the government,’’ Bamidele stressed.

He noted that the Bill had become imperative in view
of the proliferation of firearms and the security
challenges the country was faced with.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/senate-increases-fine-for-illegal-importation-from-n1000-to-n1m/

What about all those imported before now?

Nice.
The number of illegal fir arms in the hands of the so called elites in this country can fight acwar.

Noted