Katsina State Governor wants the Federal Government to allow individuals to buy and own weapons such as AK-47 rifles and RPGs for self-defence.
Dikko Umaru Radda, the Governor of Katsina State, North West Nigeria has asked the Federal Government to reform its laws to allow individuals to buy and own weapons such as AK-47 rifles and RPGs for self-defence.
He spoke in Abuja, the country’s capital city on Friday, October 20, he said: “It is a double-edged sword. We cannot fold our arms and say we will not protect ourselves because we don’t have the sophisticated arms that these bandits have.
We have the numbers, we have the zeal and the determination, and you should remember, if they are going for any outing, it is just like the way it was done in Borno through the Civilian JTF.
They will be covered by the police and the military who are heavily armed. So, I think it is a concerted and joint effort. And I think gradually, we are working within what the law allows us to possess.
We are driving towards that and we are seeking reforms within the federal government in that regard. If a bandit can go to the market and buy an AK-47, RPG, and all of those weapons, what of the people that want to protect themselves?
They too should equally be allowed to do so. These people are holding it illegally, we are trying to hold it legally. Why can’t the government allow the people to hold this thing and equally confront the challenges?”
He said further: “We governors are so-called chief security officers of our states, but we don’t have the authority to command the military, police, or civil defence. They receive orders from above.