It is possible for you to own a gun in Nigeria. Still, before an individual can own a firearm in Nigeria, a gun license is needed so law enforcement agents would recognize your weapon so that you wouldn’t be prosecuted for illegally possessing a firearm.
In Nigeria, owning a gun isn’t easy as it would be in the US or UK because gun licenses are rarely granted or given to private individuals in Nigeria. This is why a lot of people in Nigeria who own guns individually own their guns illegally, as they aren’t sure if they would be granted a license. In this article, I will give a rundown on how you can own a gun in Nigeria.
Can you own a gun in Nigeria?
You can own a gun legally or illegally in Nigeria. The easiest way to own a gun legally in Nigeria is by joining law enforcement bodies like the police, Army, Navy, etc. You can also buy a gun from a gun shop and the black market.
Ways to own a gun in Nigeria
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Joining a law enforcement agent
This is the easiest way to own a gun in Nigeria. Register in a law enforcement academy in your state, whether A Police academy or an Army school or you can wait for recruitment periods where law enforcement agents recruit new officers. After joining a law enforcement agent, you’ll be entitled to a gun during your service time. You do not need to obtain a license separately when you own a gun through this method, as the Nigerian Government licenses the firearms automatically.
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Buying a gun from a Gun shop
This is another way you can own a gun. You might ask, are there gun shops in Nigeria? Yes! There are gun shops in Nigeria, although they are mostly situated in Lagos and Abuja. These two places are the states where gun shops are populated in Nigeria. In other states, only a few exist. Fortunately, if you don’t live in any of these two states, you can find some of the few gun shops or gun dealers in your state by;
- Contacting the Commissioner of police in your state.
- Tell the commissioner that you wish to get a gun license and that you wish to get a gun.
- The IG would then give you information on where to buy a gun in your state, or even still, he can help you purchase one.
The IGP would tell you where to get a gun or help you get one because you need the gun’s serial number to create a license for the gun.
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Buying a gun from the Black market
The black market is a term used to describe illegal gun dealers. These illegal gun dealers are sometimes law enforcers who have access to firearms or are middlemen for gun importers. Buying a gun from a black market isn’t like buying an item from a shop, as black markets don’t have any specific location.
You have to know a black market informant or someone who has purchased a gun from a black market before to link you up with the gun dealers who are in the black market. After finding a black market dealer, you link up with the dealer and set a pick-up location to get your gun.
Guns gotten from black markets are sometimes stolen guns or smuggled ones. Even if it is a new gun, it’s still an illegal source. There are risks in licensing guns from a black market as you could be applying for a license for an already licensed gun, which could get you into trouble, so it is advised you keep the gun illegally if you choose to use this method to own a gun.
How can I legally get a gun and a gun license?
You can reach your commissioner of police in your state by going to the Police station headquarters in your state, his or her office would be situated there, or you can go to this website to get contact information of relevant senior police officers in your state “ https://npf.gov.ng/info/contacts_mgt.php “