By Andy Asemota
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, says the end of most challenging security situation in Nigeria in recent times may be in sight based on new approach of federal government.
Lawan gave this assurance after a bill for an act to alter the Firearms Act, 2004, to among other provisions “increase the imposition of fines for offences, provide for the destruction of firearms illegally imported into the country or in possession of individuals without valid licence, sponsored by Senator Sani Uba (Kaduna Central, APC), scaled a second reading in the Upper Chamber on Tuesday.
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“I believe the executive is ready to do something to improve the security situation and now that we are seeing a different and a new approach, may be the end of insecurity in the country is in sight.” Lawan said, adding: “Recently, of course, we have seen the National Security Adviser is working with Service Chiefs in a coordinated manner. We pray that this is sustained and of course we will give every possible support.”
The Senate President, who doubles as the the chairman of the Nigerian National Assembly and has been a member of the Assembly since the inception of the present democratic dispensation in 1999 starting from the Lower Chamber, also posited thus: “The security situation can still reversed once we (the executive and legislative arms) continue to remain focused and remained committed.
“Since the inception of the ninth assembly, it has been a very difficult time, probably the most difficult because our people daily faced insecurity challenges, and the question is what are you people (parliamentarians and others) doing? Unfortunately, the legislature is limited in what it can do.”
On the refusal of President Muhammad Buhari to assent to the bill for an act to alter the firearms act 2004 during the 8th assembly, Lawan charged the relevant committees of the current Senate to engage with the executive arm of government to see there may be pending issues, if that had not been sorted out by the sponsor of the motion.
He however assured that both the legislature and its executive counterpart were on the same page to ensure that there wouldn’t be any compromise for stiffer penalties for anyone caught with illegal arms.
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