President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted two Executive Bills- Explosives Bill, 2021 and Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2021 to the Senate for consideration and passage.
In a letter, which was read by the President of the Senate, Sen. Ahmad Lawan (APC: Yobe) on Tuesday, 14 September 2021, at the Senate’s resumption from its annual recess President Buhari stated that the Explosives Bill, 2021 seeks to repeal the Explosives Act, 1964 and enact the Explosives Act, 2021. The main objective of the Bill is to regulate the manufacture, storage, possession, and use of explosives as well as its distribution, purchase, sale, transportation, importation and exportation.
On the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2021, President Buhari noted that the said Bill if passed into law, will transform the Presidential Committee on Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons into a National Centre domiciled under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). According to him, the establishment of a National Centre on the Control of Light Arms and Small Weapon will provide a legal framework to check the proliferation of arms across the country which has been the most significant cause of insecurity.
The Senate is expected to commence deliberations on the Bills, before referral to the relevant Committees for further legislative action.
