Lagos based political activist and critic, Chief Adesumbo Onitiri has demanded that in view of the heightening insecurity situation in the country, the government of President Mohammadu Buhari should license every citizen to carry arms for self-defence.
Onitiri made this statement in reaction to the statement credited to the Defence Minister,Bashir, Salihu Magashi calling on Nigerians to defend themselves against the un-ending atrocities of bandits and other heinous criminals ravaging the country.
Onitiri pointed out that the All Progressive Congress, APC, Party, led by Buhari, was elected into office on three points of; providing security for all Nigerians, fighting corruption and growing the economy of the nation; and having woefully failed on all three counts, Buhari should do the honourable –“ resign the office and call for election.”
The socio-political activist emphasized that the major responsibility of any ‘responsible’ government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens and failure to do so strips it of any constitutional mandate to continue to remain in power.
The statement by the minister of defence, Bashir, speaks volume of the gross ineptitude of the present government to tackle squarely the insecurity issue in the country, Onitiri said.
“The minister of defence has just said that Nigerians should defend themselves against insurgents and bandits, with what?” he asked.
“Is he saying that the federal government is helpless and can no longer defend us?” Is he calling for anarchy by asking citizens to take up arms to fight the bandits?” he further questioned.
He noted that the recent call by the National Assembly to President Buhari to declare a state of emergency on the security situation in the country given the heightening insecurity is synonymous to passing a vote of ‘no confidence’, on the government of Buhari.
Lamenting on the general feeling of fear that citizens are experiencing, Onitiri noted that “our children are no longer safe in schools. Children and parents are abducted and kidnapped for ransom. Our girls and women are raped, maimed and killed at will. Nigerians lives are no longer worth that of a cow. While all these crimes go on, the security agents look the other way,’’ adding that even failed security chiefs are rewarded for their failures, “why?” he asked.