Insecurity: APC chieftain urges IGP to licence citizens to hold gun

EMMANUEL AWARI, Jalingo

Chief Ben Adaji, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has charged the Inspector-General of Police to grant licence to reasonable Nigerians to bear arms for self defecce.

He gave the charge while speaking with newsmen in Jalingo last weekend.

“The situation where innocent Nigerians were daily living in perpetual fear of attack from bandits and kidnappers was worrisome.

The APC Chieftain, who is also a veteran Journalist and an expert on human security and counter-terrorism, observed that security should no longer be left in the hands of security personnel alone.

“The rising spate of kidnapping and banditry across the country should be a thing of concern to all Nigerians; other non-combatant measures are equally required to nip the menace in the bud.

“You will agree with me that because of the large population of Nigeria, it is not possible for security agencies to be in every home to provide security for Nigerians.

“Therefore, it has become imperative for certain categories of Nigerians to be licensed to bear arms for self protection”, he said.

Adaji, a two-time aspirant for House of Representatives for Ankpa Federal constituency in Kogi State, advised the military to take advantage of the recent court order on bandits as terrorists to deal decisively with Boko Haram and the bandits.

“With the recent court pronouncement of bandits as a terrorist group, the military should ensure adequate use of the Tucano fighter aircraft procured from the United States to eliminate the bandits and Boko-Haram elements”, he stated.

He further advised the government to create more employment opportunities as well as tackle poverty which was also  a variable that caused insecurity.

Adaji also advised the Federal Government to embark on massive disarmament campaign with sincerity of purpose to mop up all sophisticated arms which may be found in wrong hands all over the country.

He charged the newly-established Centre for the Control of Light and Small Arms domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser to step up campaign against illegal bearing and possession of arms.

The security expert also advocated the establishment of special courts for speedy trials of citizens in possession of illegal arms, adding that such measures would control the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.

“I advise the new Centre to deploy intelligence to all land borders and ports of entry to detect the illegal movement of arms into the country.  I want to also advise Nigerians to be conscious of their immediate environment as well as discountenance leaving total responsibility of their own individual and collective security to security agencies”, he added.