A retired senior military officer, Major-General Elias Njoku, has argued that Nigeria’s security environment remains too fragile for private citizens to be permitted to carry firearms, no matter the growing desperation created by repeated attacks, kidnappings and armed incursions across the country.
He maintained that calls for widespread gun ownership may appear emotionally appealing, yet they ignore the deeper structural problems fuelling insecurity and the long-term damage such a move could unleash.
Njoku, who currently serves as the interim chairman of the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSAN), explained that Nigeria is still struggling to contain the consequences of illicit arms circulating across different regions.
Moreover, he warned that enabling civilians to carry weapons would complicate an already volatile situation rather than improve public safety.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the retired general said the agitation for civilian gun licences was largely driven by frustration. “People are reacting to the fear around them,” he said.
“However, national security cannot be shaped by emotion. It must be guided by caution, capacity building and a clear understanding of our vulnerabilities.”
He added that even licensed private security outfits in Nigeria are not permitted to bear arms due to strict regulatory conditions.
According to him, countries that allow private guards to use firearms, such as Kenya, South Africa, Dubai and Gambia, do not confront Nigeria’s scale of asymmetric warfare, where armed groups operate covertly and unpredictably.
Njoku stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between private security firms and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Furthermore, he said raising the training capacity of private guards must come before any discussion about arming them.
“Security is a step-by-step institution,” he noted. “Before you put a weapon in someone’s hand, you must build competence, integration and oversight.”
He disclosed that ALPSAN had studied foreign models during visits to Kenya, Gambia and South Africa, and that a joint committee involving the NSCDC and the Ministry of Interior is currently examining whether a gradual policy shift might be possible in the future.
However, he insisted that no such reform is imminent. “A pilot scheme may emerge eventually, but the environment has to be right,” he said.
“For now, no private guard is authorised to carry arms. What Nigerians should expect in the near future is a stronger and more coordinated private security structure that supports national security rather than complicates it.”
Njoku concluded that improving intelligence sharing, professional training and regulatory oversight would contribute far more to public safety than accelerating gun proliferation.
His remarks reflect an ongoing national debate that continues to evolve as insecurity challenges heighten across various regions.