Senior Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said that Nigerians have a constitutional right to self-defence, including the legal right to apply for firearms licences where permitted by law.
Bwala made the statement while speaking on national security and citizens’ role in protecting themselves and their communities amid rising security concerns in parts of the country.
According to him, the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to private defence, adding that individuals are also allowed to take lawful steps to protect themselves when necessary.
“You have the right to defend yourself. Nigerians also have a collective right to defend themselves as a vanguard in their communities by applying to the government for licences to bear arms permitted by law,” he said.
He stressed that such rights must be exercised strictly within the confines of the law, through proper application processes and government regulation.
Bwala’s remarks come amid ongoing national conversations about insecurity and the best approaches to community protection and law enforcement support across the country.
Security experts and policymakers continue to debate the role of civilian self-defence in Nigeria’s broader security framework, especially as authorities intensify efforts to address violent crimes and instability in several regions.
Insecurity: Nigerians Have the Right to Bear Arms for Self-Defence – Bwala
The Constitution grants every Nigerian citizen the right to private defence. You have the right to defend yourself. Nigerians also have a collective right to defend themselves as a vanguard in their… pic.twitter.com/m83wFJns3y
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) May 20, 2026
