Nigeria's Taser Market: A Dangerous Gap in Regulation

In February 2025, a gang kidnapped Mary Aderemi after she got into a taxi in Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

"Call your boss, call anyone you know to give us money or we will sell or kill you now," Mary remembered one of the gang members shouting.

This happened around 1 pm. Mary entered an ash-coloured Volkswagen taxi near the Churchgate area. She was trying to reach her lecture center early for her accounting certification exam.

The taxi stopped to pick up three more passengers. Unknown to her, those passengers were working with the driver, who soon turned her nightmare into reality.

"The windows were rolled up as the last person got in. That was when I realized it was a tinted vehicle and something was wrong," she said. "Next thing, one man pulled out a knife and another showed a taser. The third man had a gun."

Mary said the man beside her started hitting her, and another used a taser on her. She lost control of her body.

"As soon as they shocked me with the taser, my hands went numb! I couldn't move them for a while. They tied me up and blindfolded me, moving me around Abuja. They threatened to take me to the dangerous Kaduna road if I didn't cooperate," she told DUBAWA.

They took her phone, withdrew over N100,000 from her bank account, and used her information to borrow money from a loan app. Even after submitting a court affidavit and police report, the loan app still harasses her for repayment.

In many parts of Nigeria, there is a rising public safety concern. The lack of laws regulating the sale and use of tasers has made it easy for criminals to access these dangerous devices.

A taser can incapacitate someone with about 50,000 volts of electricity. Trained security personnel often use it to subdue aggressive individuals. It is also used for self-defense in many countries. Because of its dual use, regulating it is crucial.

DUBAWA's investigation found that tasers are now easily available to Nigerians, who can buy and carry them without hassle. Despite this ease of purchase, there are no regulations on how they can be used.

A look at the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act (2021), which aims to control the spread of weapons, shows that it does not mention tasers at all.

The Nigerian Criminal Code also does not specifically address tasers but does mention what it calls "offensive weapons." According to the law, offensive weapons include "any item, apart from a firearm, made or adapted for causing injury." Examples include air guns, bows, cutlasses, daggers, or any object that can be used to harm someone.

The law states that anyone guilty of using offensive weapons can face felony charges and three years in prison.

DUBAWA reached out to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons to ask if they knew about the easy availability of tasers, but we have not heard back from them.

In response to a December 2022 post by an X user asking if individuals can use tasers, Muyiwa Adejobi, then spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, said: "For now, the law of Nigeria doesn’t permit individuals to own these items. It is a matter of law, not an opinion, please."

DUBAWA tried to find out which law he was referring to, but calls and texts to Mr Adejobi and Josephine Adeh, the police spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory, went unanswered.

George Anasam, a lawyer in Abuja, explained that Nigerian law does not clearly state the rules about tasers. So, while they can be sold, using them for crime is illegal.

"There is no law stopping you from owning tasers in Nigeria. They are not mentioned in our firearms laws as weapons," Mr Anasam said. "Tasers can be sold to Nigerians. The key issue is how they are used. That decides if it’s an offense."

Some Nigerians buy tasers to protect themselves from attacks. One user, @Sdq_Solution, shared on X how a motor park worker tried to damage his car after he refused to give him money.

The user said it happened while he was driving near the overhead bridge in Abule Egba, Lagos. The worker tried to harm him, but he pulled out a taser to defend himself.

"I tased him like three times because I was really angry. It was the LASTMA officer begging me to go because I caused a traffic jam. The guy couldn't move after that," he wrote in Pidgin English.

Like that user, Oloye Oloyede from Mararaba in Nasarawa State told DUBAWA that he got a taser for self-defense. He bought it in 2023, knowing that car owners face attacks and often lack defensive tools.

"I have a taser, but I have not used it yet. Attackers usually catch their victims off guard. Tasers can help defend against street thugs or touts, but I haven't used it against anyone," he said.

DUBAWA spoke to five others who also bought tasers for self-defense, but many said they rarely use them.

In some other countries, like the US and UK, tasers are seen as self-defense tools. But there are strict rules around their use. For example, in the UK, carrying a taser disguised as another item can lead to five years in prison.

These strict laws aim to prevent tasers from falling into the wrong hands.

While buying a taser is not illegal in Nigeria and the country allows self-defense under Section 33(2) of the 1999 Constitution, the lack of rules on sale and use has made them a tool for crime.

Segun Falade, a journalist, was also attacked with a taser before the local government elections in Lagos State. He was stopped by security personnel while trying to enter a meeting for the All Progressives Congress.

"The same party invited me, but their security wouldn't let me or others in," he said.

Mr Falade recalled trying to show his press ID when he heard the "loud and shocking" sounds of the taser.

"Before I knew it, the bouncers at the gate were already using the taser on everyone, and they used it on me too. It was a traumatic experience, and I can't believe I faced such danger while doing my job," he said.

He ran away and couldn't do any work that day because the incident shook him.

"I don’t think tasers should be used on anyone who doesn’t pose a threat. Security should use it to control chaos, but only as a last resort. It’s dangerous, like a gun," the journalist said.

Mr Anasam said using tasers for self-defense needs regulation to avoid threats and intimidation.

"Nigeria needs to make legal decisions on taser use. While they are legal if not abused, regulations will help prevent misuse. We live in a society with rising violence, which can cause serious injuries when misused," the lawyer said.

DUBAWA found that major places to buy tasers in Nigeria include Bodija market in Ibadan, Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos, and Wuse, Banex, and Galadima areas in Abuja.

We looked at social media accounts and offline sellers advertising tasers. One page, @AliceandBelleSafetyGadgets, sells tasers. Created in June 2022, it has over 3,000 followers and is owned by Alishia, a Nigerian-American educator.

For marketing, the business uses celebrities like filmmaker Muyiwa Ademola and Ayo Adeagbo, an assistant to President Bola Tinubu.

In April, DUBAWA contacted Alishia to buy a taser after visiting Ibadan, where she is based. She showed us various discreet types available but preferred delivery through ride-hailing drivers, stating, "the shop is currently under renovation."

Through WhatsApp, we ordered a phone taser for N20,500. Days later, a delivery man brought it wrapped in a customized case.

In Ibadan, another seller, Adebiyi Ijoba, offered a taser for N20,000. When we asked for his shop address, he said he only sells online.

"Call me, and I will meet you anywhere. If the taser is used on someone, their body will react for a while," he said, adding he ships devices from abroad.

DUBAWA found about five other offline sellers and ten online sellers. On Facebook, we saw many platforms selling tasers. We found several vendors on other social media apps too.

Most sellers promised immediate delivery after an order is placed. Some run ads on social media to attract buyers.

There is no sign that any seller is breaking the law, as tasers are not regulated. But none of them expressed concern about how the tasers would be used.

In Abuja, Banex Plaza is known for taser sellers, especially targeting commuters during traffic. Teenage boys often line up in buildings around the market, calling out to potential buyers.

In July, we approached Bil-Yaminu Saadu, one seller, who initially priced a taser at N20,000 but later agreed to sell it for N12,000 after bargaining.

"Come anytime, I dey here. I have plenty. Buy a jackknife or pepper spray, and I’ll reduce your price," he said.

Before this purchase, we spoke to several sellers along the road, but none asked who our reporter was or how the taser would be used.

Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa, told DUBAWA the lack of age restrictions at points of sale increases the risk.

"Their sale should be licensed, age-restricted, and tracked, with strict penalties for misuse. For law enforcement and licensed private security, taser use should be tied to training, reporting, and medical safeguards to prevent abuse and protect the public," he said.

Mr Samuel noted that the easy access to tasers in markets and online lowers the threshold for using them in political intimidation, street violence, and unlawful crowd control.

"In tense election situations, just showing a taser can cause panic and escalate fights. But the danger extends into everyday life," the security analyst warned.

Discussing the health risks of tasers, Ahmed AbdulBasit, a doctor at the Federal Medical Centre in Lagos, explained that tasers target the muscles and nerves of victims to incapacitate them.

He called it 'offensive and dangerous' and stated that taser victims may suffer emotional and psychological issues. They might also get head injuries that could lead to death if they hit their heads hard. "People exposed to tasers may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or fear, and it can be fatal if tased near the head," he added.

Moshood Ibrahim, a lawyer in Kwara State, stated that under Section 36(12) of the Constitution, no one can be prosecuted for possessing a taser since it is not clearly defined as a crime.

"Since a taser is not mentioned in the law, it cannot be said to be illegal, and one cannot be held for possessing it until the law specifically prohibits its sale, possession, or use.

"However, if someone uses it to commit a crime, that person can face charges for criminal assault. This is where regulation is needed. The law must clarify how it should be bought, who can sell it, and the penalties for using it improperly. We cannot maintain peace and order while ignoring issues like this," Mr Ibrahim concluded.