City legally armed to same level as Nigeria

LONDONDERRY is awash with a small arsenal of legally held firearms; last year almost 1000 guns were held on certificate in the city.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Mar 2012, 11:30 BST

The city is legally armed to the same extent as Nigeria with roughly one gun for every 100 people.

In 2011 a total of 979 guns were held on certificate in the Foyle area.

People in Londonderry legally hold 475 shotguns, 141 rifles, 131 air guns and 41 handguns.

A further 191 miscellaneous weapons - including sound moderators, barrels, humane slaughter instruments and paintball markers - were also held on certificate.

According to the PSNI: “The PSNI Firearms Branch has advised that the total number of firearm certificates issued in the Foyle Area Command in 2010 is 297 of which 38 were initial grants and 259 were further grants. In 2011 there were 357 certificates issued, 49 of which were initial grants and 308 were further grants.”