Security consultant Richard Kumadoe has criticised the Ministry of the Interior’s decision to revoke all existing firearm licences, describing the directive as unclear and potentially problematic for law-abiding gun owners.
According to him, the ministry’s directive is just like cancelling all drivers’ licences as a means to solve bad driving.
The criticism follows an announcement by Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak that all firearm owners will be required to reapply under a new licensing regime.
The proposed reforms include mandatory mental health and drug screening as part of efforts to tighten gun control and enhance public safety.
Speaking to Citi News on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Mr Kumadoe questioned the rationale behind revoking all licences instead of targeting specific compliance issues within the system.
“Are we saying that if people are not driving properly on the road, we get up and revoke every driver’s licence in the country?” he asked.
He noted that previous government campaigns had encouraged firearm owners to register and regularise their weapons, leading many citizens to obtain licences in good faith.
“Mind you, when we went to the campaign of the gun amnesty, one of the calls was that people could keep their guns, but they must register and regularise them. People got their licences just about two weeks ago. Now, without any announcement, you go ahead to revoke all of these licences,” he said.
Mr Kumadoe argued that the directive has created uncertainty for licensed firearm owners, particularly those who have complied with existing regulations and now face a lack of guidance on how to proceed.
“People have guns in their rooms and have registered them. Now that their licences have been revoked and there is no instruction as to what to do, if a police officer walks in now and they find those guns without licences, you may have some questions to answer,” he stated.
He warned that the absence of clear implementation guidelines and timelines could create legal and operational challenges for both firearm owners and law enforcement agencies.
“That is a problem with this kind of policy and the timeline associated with it,” Mr Kumadoe added.
The Interior Ministry has said the new licensing framework is intended to strengthen oversight of firearms ownership and reduce the risk of gun-related violence through more rigorous screening and monitoring procedures.
