Members of Nigeria Medical Association tell FG: We Need Guns

Members of the Nigerian Medical   Association (NMA) have called for a review of gun ownership policy to allow private citizens own arms amidst growing insecurity in the country.

The Association said Wednesday government should “liberalise the policy of gun ownership.”
NMA’s call for arms in private hands is premised on deterrence—that potential perpetrators are less likely to attack if they know their victims bear arms. 


“In view of psychological fear factor among criminals or vandals, liberal gun ownership will curb criminality among hoodlums,” NMA president, Dr Osahon Enabulele, told a press conference in Abuja.

He refuted observations that its call for more liberal policies on arms ownership was a “call for anarchy” considering the security situation of the country.

The association blamed insecurity on “mass poverty and the worsening socioeconomic situation and inequality, class oppression, massive unemployment and years of monumental corruption and poor governance.”
Enabulele said good governance remained a lasting panacea to unemployment problem, but insisted there was “room to consider gun ownership policy in the same manner as state police is being considered.”

Calls for liberalised gun ownership policy were among resolutions doctors made after the association’s executives met in Owerri, Imo State early September.

It comes amidst concerns over attacks and abductions targeting health workers, the association alleges.
Enabulele said “several doctors have been kidnapped even while on emergency and call duty within hospital premises.”

In addition to liberalised gun ownership, doctors want government to establish police posts or stations in public hospitals and health facilities, saying they have become “ready targets of kidnappers and criminals.”

Culled from DailyPost
Will this policy be a solution to the problem or cause more harm? Does our regulatory bodies have the discipline to manage such policy?