Driving in Nigeria has been an extreme sport for years, but it’s about to get even crazier because your favourite lawmakers are proposing another controversial bill that’s making Nigerians question why they are not legally permitted to own guns.
The Road Safety Special Armed Squad bill, which proposes that officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC) be equipped with guns to carry out their duties, has passed its second reading. I’m also going to hold your hands gently while I tell you that it’s most likely going to become an actual law soon because no lawmaker in the House of Assembly is against the idea. A lawmaker, Abbas Tajudeen, even went as far as calling it a “straightforward bill” and then sent it to the committee on FRSC for more review and action.
If you’re thinking “Maybe FRSC will say they don’t want guns,” think again because FRSC itself has been shouting that it needs guns to perform its “road safety” duties for years. This is the perfect early Christmas gift for the officers.
What are FRSC’s duties and why does it need guns?
FRSC makes sure Nigerian drivers follow traffic rules like obeying speed limits and wearing seat belts. They give out and renew driver’s licenses, check vehicles to make sure they’re safe to drive and they manage traffic. It also teams up with other agencies, like the Nigerian Police Force, to improve road safety and provide emergency services in cases of accidents. In simple English, they do whatever they need to keep crazy drivers in check and provide road safety.
FRSC didn’t need guns when it was established in 1988, many Nigerians are saying it still doesn’t need guns in 2024.
Driving isn’t a crime in Nigeria and enforcing road safety doesn’t require any type of force under normal circumstances. But things could change (not for good) if this bill is passed.
Why is this bill especially bad for Nigerian youths?
There have been reports of FRSC officers physically assaulting drivers, demanding bribes from them, and getting away with it when they didn’t have guns. This could become worse if this bill is passed. Also, considering Nigerians’ traumatic history with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officers who were known for profiling young Nigerians, assaulting them, and abusing their human rights, this bill could be a potential disaster waiting to happen
Young Nigerians who are already at risk of being profiled and assaulted by Nigerian law enforcement agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and the Nigerian police would be forced to add FRSC to the list of security forces to be afraid of. If things get out of hand, even Nigerian citizens might start considering carrying guns to protect themselves.
Since Thursday, October 10, when news of the bill made it online, Nigerians on social media platforms have kicked against it with hopes that it does not pass the remaining six stages to become a law. While it might be a long shot, speaking out against harmful bills like this has worked out in places like Kenya where a tax hike bill was withdrawn after youths kicked against it. Maybe Nigerians can hope for the same?
