However, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) added a new twist to the whole debate when it recently called the Federal Government to consider the relaxation of gun ownership laws as a way to reduce crime. In other words, he wanted more private citizens to have access to guns.
However, Dr. Emmanuel Oga of the Society of Nigerian Doctors for the Welfare of Mankind (SNDWM) said “As rife as gun violence is in Nigeria, there is
reason to believe it could and would not be abated with easy accessibility of guns. Also, the “deterrent” argument is flawed; a criminal (who had no plan to kill ab initio) is more likely to kill his victim if he perceives the victim as a threat to his own life, such as a victim who owns a gun. If the to-be victim has a pistol, the criminals will show up with automatic rifle and so on. It is difficult to see how this benefits society.
Another aspect of private gun ownership which he overlooked is that which makes it all the more likely for guns to cause domestic harm and acerbate lethality during episodes of violence among intimate partners: An unsuspecting child or ward, a careless adult relative or indeed the owner of such a gun might in a moment of curiosity and plane stupidity or needless machismo inflict permanent injury on loved ones.”
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