Responsible citizens should be licensed to carry weapons – Gov. Ortom

 

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has urged the Federal Government to grant licenses to responsible citizens to carry sophisticated weapons such as AK47 to deter criminals from attacking innocent and helpless Nigerians.

 

The Governor made this known during the virtual meeting convened by Centre for Values in Leadership, CVL, in collaboration with Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF on Tuesday.

 

He also said the policy should be backed by a strict legal framework to prevent illegal possession of arms by the citizenry without exception.

 

According to him, governments at all levels should come to terms with the fact that insecurity is a real threat to development of the country and be willing to sincerely tackle the menace.

 

He also recommended adequate funding of security agencies and continuous training of their personnel to enable them to be abreast of global dynamics in the fight against insecurity.

 

”I urge the Federal Government to embrace ranching as it is the global best practice of animal husbandry and enacts a law to end open grazing which often comes with attacks on farming communities by armed herdsmen militia.

 

”The Federal Government should ensure that there is improved educational standard and enhanced public enlightenment campaigns to give the people, particularly youths the needed orientation to shun negative acts and become more patriotic.