• SUNDAY JOHN APOCHI

The purpose of this study is to critically analyse the effectiveness of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Nigerian Firearms Act and case laws and other legal framework on the right of citizen in Nigeria to bear arms in light of the constitutional provision which provides for the defence of one’s life and property from unlawful violence in Nigeria. It argues that the provisions of the firearms Act and other legal framework which provides for the restriction of this rights are an infraction of the Nigerian Constitution, considering the spate of the current security challenges in the country. This paper is to discuss if the right to defend one’s life and property from unlawful violence is a constitutional guaranteed citizens right in Nigeria. It concludes that extant local laws and their regulations enacted to curtail this right are a breach of the Nigerian Constitution and that the failure of the Nigeria State to effectively safeguard the lives and properties of its citizens activates the constitutional provision providing for the defence of one’s life.

Firearms, security, Insecurity, Right to Life, weapons.

"A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RIGHTS OF SELF DEFENCE AND THE LEGAL RESTRICTION ON CITIZENS RIGHT TO POSSESSION OF WEAPONS ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 5, page no.a581-a592, May-2021, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2105069.pdf

"A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RIGHTS OF SELF DEFENCE AND THE LEGAL RESTRICTION ON CITIZENS RIGHT TO POSSESSION OF WEAPONS ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 5, page no. ppa581-a592, May-2021, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2105069.pdf