“You Don’t Fix Bad Driving by Cancelling All Licences” — Kumadoe Slams Gun Policy

Security consultant Richard Kumadoe has criticised the Ministry of the Interior’s decision to revoke all existing firearm licences, describing the directive as unclear, impractical, and potentially unfair to law-abiding gun owners.

He argued that the move is comparable to cancelling all drivers’ licences in response to bad driving, saying such a blanket approach creates more problems than it solves.

The criticism follows Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak’s announcement that all firearm owners will be required to reapply under a new licensing regime. The proposed system includes mandatory mental health and drug screening as part of broader efforts to strengthen gun control and improve public safety.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Mr Kumadoe questioned why authorities would revoke all licences instead of addressing specific compliance gaps within the existing framework.

“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 gun amnesty exercises encouraged citizens to register and regularise their firearms, leading many 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 warned that the directive has created uncertainty among licensed gun owners, especially those who have complied with the law but now lack clear guidance on what to do next.

“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 Now that their licences have been revoked and there is no instruction as to what to do, if a police officer walks in now and they find those guns without licences, you may have some questions to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 further cautioned that the absence of clear timelines and implementation guidelines could create legal and operational challenges for both firearm holders and security agencies.

The Interior Ministry has defended the new policy, explaining that it is aimed at tightening oversight of firearm ownership and reducing gun-related violence through stricter screening and monitoring measures.