Days after the Niger Delta Militants threatened to declare Niger Delta Republic on June !st, President Muhammadu Buhari signs an executive order to remove, revoke, banish all firearm or shotgun certificate or license in Nigeria.
The order takes effect from June 1st, the day the Niger Delta Militants are threatening to declare their Republic.
With this, no body in Nigeria is allowed to carry prohibited or licensed weapon in the country.
Though it is not clear whether the order was targeted at the Militants, it appears that the order is a blanket one, which will automatically make their activities difficult. Only the Military and the police, this Magazine gathered, are expected to carry firearms. Even the Civil Defense are not allowed to carry arms.
But reactions on Social media over the executive order was rather anger and condemnation.
“Is Buhari Evil Or Ignorant?”, says Chidi Calli, a well Known Social Commentator and Itinerant Buhari critic. “Why Disarm Nigerians and Allowing Herdsmen, Militias, Boko Haram to Keep Their Weapons?
Is There plans to Destroy M/Belt & The South?”
It will be recalled that the security situation in the country has worsened in recent times with bandits and Boko Haram trying to outdo themselves in killings and abductions. They reportedly brandish the latest weaponry, including the notorious AK 47 assault rifles. Only recently, the Police paraded some kidnappers with sophisticated weapons in Zamfara state.