In response to Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) opposes the notion that Nigerians should be barred from carrying arms, emphasizing that such a directive would be against the overall well-being of the populace.
In a statement on Monday, Dr. Bitrus Poguthe, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), insisted that any order curbing Nigerians from carrying arms for self-defense, especially as marauders wield advanced weapons, amounts to a conspiracy against the people.
Pogu contends that a reconsideration of the statement is warranted, given that security agencies have been unable to effectively safeguard Nigerians from marauders.
He said, ‘I completely disagree because the security agencies are not adequately protecting Nigerians an Nigerians are being killed like Chickens.’
‘Before now Nigerians are allowed to carry some category of arms which are not up to the military grade. And if they have such arms, at least they can protect themselves.’
Read also: W’Bank Predicts Insecurity, Economic Hardship In 6 States
‘But when you have people in the bushes with sophisticated weapons whose location is known and yet they are left there; even areas are left for them; and yet they want Nigerians to stay as chickens to be killed by these criminals. It means there is collusion to have Nigerians killed.’
‘Nigerians should be allowed to carry at least some arms to defend themselves. Before now we had some category of arms, short guns and so on, which were allowed.’
‘This should be allowed and should remain allowed. Anything short of that means there is a conspiracy against Nigerians.’
‘Whoever made that statement should go and have a rethink. Already there are category of arms allowed for Nigerians and it should not be stopped. In fact Nigerians should have higher level of arms to defend themselves because it has been proven that security agencies have not been able to protect Nigerians.’