The Kwara State House of Assembly has urged the State Government to impose a temporary ban on the sale, distribution, and use of knockouts and fireworks during the forthcoming festive season, citing their growing use by criminal elements to commit violent offences.
The motion was moved by Seun Oguniyi, the lawmaker representing Ojomu/Balogun Constituency in Offa, during Wednesday’s plenary in Ilorin.
Oguniyi warned that the use of fireworks creates chaos, confusion, and noise pollution, making it difficult for residents and security agents to distinguish between fireworks and actual gunshots, thereby delaying emergency response and enabling criminal operations during peak festive periods.
Leading the debate, the Leader of the House and member representing Ilorin Central, Mogaji Oba Abdulkadir, supported the motion, noting that reports from security agencies show fireworks often provide a shield that emboldens criminal gangs.
He recalled that in December 2024, the police linked fireworks to at least 12 cases of burglary and armed robbery in the state, while nationwide, the Federal Fire Service recorded over 150 fire incidents caused by fireworks in December 2023, resulting in property losses running into millions of naira.
Also speaking in support, the lawmaker representing Owode/Onire Constituency in Asa, Rukayat Shittu, described the motion as timely, adding that uncontrolled explosions desensitize the public, overwhelm emergency lines with false alarms, and weaken the early-warning system communities rely on during emergencies.
After deliberations, the Speaker, Engineer Yakub Danladi, announced the Assembly’s resolution urging the State Government to ban the sale, distribution, and use of fireworks across Kwara State during the festive season, directing the Commissioner of Police and heads of security agencies to enforce strict compliance with appropriate penalties for violators.
Engineer Danladi further called on the government to mandate the Ministry of Communications to embark on extensive public sensitization on the dangers of fireworks and their link to insecurity.
