One of the prominent Ijaw leaders yesterday, said President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria government must legalise the free use of sophisticated arms such as AK47 if Nigerians must confront bandits at every level and in whatever colouration.
The Ijaw leader and GMD/CEO of Babsfield Corporate Ventures and Tamfel Global Resources, Chief Julius Babogha who was speaking to newsmen in Warri while reacting to a statement credited to the Defence Minister Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi, in a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, said Nigerians if not cowards, they can confront bandits.
Babogha said he will align with the Defence Minister, Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi that Nigerians are not cowards and can directly combat the bandits, but not with empty hands or low grade of arms while the hoodlums are parading high sophisticated and superior guns.
Speaking further, Babogha said, “One will want to advise the Chief of Defence staff to carry out a thorough mop up exercise or grant everyone the right to possess riffles
“If the Defence Minister says “Security issues not only the responsibility of the military alone? We should ask him what now happen if hoodlums taking over a community with superior arms and you have same to confront them, won’t same arm come and ask how one manage to get such guns.
“But if you have or allowed to be in possession of sophisticated weapons for the purpose of protecting oneself as the herdsmen do, who is coming will be afraid and who is going will also be afraid, hence we are asking the Defence Minister on how we can confront the bandits, whether by hands or shoot and run to face bandits with superior guns.”