The Namibian Police Force’s (NamPol) Zambezi Region Commander, Commissioner Andreas Shilelo, has raised concerns about the high number of commercially licensed firearms being returned to police stations for safekeeping shortly after their approval.

According to Shilelo, this alarming trend is primarily due to purchasers not knowing how to use the firearms.

In an interview with Nampa, Commissioner Shilelo stated that his office receives numerous applications for commercial firearm licenses monthly, with up to 20 approvals granted each month. However, many of these firearms end up back at the police station. 

He attributed this to a lack of training or induction on firearm handling and usage, with many firearms simply being stored in homes without ever being used.

To address this issue, NamPol plans to launch a joint sensitisation campaign with various stakeholders, including gun shop owners, to assess whether it is beneficial to recommend firearm approvals if they are not being used as intended.

Shilelo noted that a significant number of firearms are currently being held at the Katima Mulilo Police Station.

In January, his office facilitated a radio announcement requesting owners to reclaim 211 firearms, a figure he described as “excessive and worrying.” To date, only a few individuals have, however, come forward to reclaim their weapons.

“Most of these firearms were booked in because the rightful owners passed away, while the family is left to sort out who will inherit the firearms. Some are booked in because of misuse by some individuals, but the number of firearms brought to the police station daily is high,” he stated.

While Commissioner Shilelo expressed hopes for a weapon-free society, he acknowledged that this ideal is challenged by prevalent crimes in the region, such as robberies, cattle theft, and housebreaking.

To manage the growing collection of stored firearms, Shilelo suggested that some, with family approval, could be auctioned, while older firearms could be destroyed.