A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu, cautioned the Federal Government on Saturday against promoting the idea of citizens obtaining firearm licenses, arguing that such a move would exacerbate the existing insecurity issues in the nation.
Nwosu, who previously served as Chief of Staff to former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, expressed his concerns during a virtual media briefing.
Naijaonpoint reports that Nwosu’s remarks were in response to a statement made on Friday by former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung, rights activist Omoyele Sowore, and other members of the Coalition of Nigerian Patriots, who advocated for the right of Nigerians to possess firearms for self-defense.
Nwosu countered this perspective, asserting that allowing citizens to acquire guns is not a feasible solution to the ongoing violence in the affected areas.
He said, “I don’t support people being encouraged to carry arms around because it will become a lawless country.
“Instead, I think more security agents should be deployed to those troubled areas so this problem can be solved.
“When individuals start carrying arms, it connotes trouble. Some people can easily get angry and allow such emotion to push them to do what they are not supposed to do.
“Besides, these bandits are sometimes from outside the country. They are not people from those communities.
“They come from outside, carry out their act and run back to where they are coming from. My other suggestion is that there should be community policing.
“There should be the courage to go down to the rural area in which, as I said, it’s one of the most difficult areas of the government.”
The APC leader also commended President Bola Tinubu for assigning his security chiefs the responsibility of stopping the violence and reinstating peace in the impacted communities.
He stated that this reflects the true essence of a leader who prioritizes the safety and well-being of his constituents.
“I also want to commend President Bola Tinubu. He has also put in the work to ensure that these killings stop.
“I have had meetings with the security chiefs and heard the NSA say that the President had given them directive that this killing has to stop and they are doing it,” he stated.