Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has urged the federal government to grant responsible adults the license to own AK47 rifles to protect themselves from attacks by criminals.
The governor said granting the license is the only way out of the insecurity in the land, because the guns illegally possessed by criminals are much more than the number of licensed ones in the country.
Ortom made the suggestion in a paper he presented during a virtual meeting of governors.
He said security agents are trying but they risk being overwhelmed considering the attacks being launched by Boko Haram, bandits and cattle rustlers in different parts of the country.
The governor therefore made a case for citizens to be allowed to own guns.
“Responsible citizens should be allowed to bear sophisticated rifles such as AK 47, just like criminals are doing. If government grants the license people will be able to keep guns at home and face their attackers,” Ortom said, according to BBC Hausa.
