Insecurity: Reps want Nigerians to bear arms against criminals

The house of representatives has called for enhanced community policing to fight insecurity in the country.

At Tuesday’s plenary, the lawmakers said their constituents should be “armed” under the supervision of security agencies, to fight bandits wreaking havoc in many parts of the country.

The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by legislators from the north-west.

Leading the debate on the motion, Kabiru Mai Palace, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Zamfara, said the north-west has been overrun by bandits and other criminals.

“This wave of criminality has since extended into various communities in my constituency,” Palace said.

The lawmaker said in the past three months in his constituency, “over 126 individuals were abducted, including 33 children and tragically more than 53 lives were claimed”.

Among the prayers, he urged the house to demand that the federal government direct the relocation of the defence headquarters to the north-west until insecurity is addressed.

Contributing to the motion, Abdullahi Balarabe, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Sokoto, proposed an amendment of the motion that will allow Nigerians to be armed with the supervision of security agencies to fight banditry.

The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Ben Kalu, the deputy speaker, who presided over the plenary.

The house mandated the committees on defence, police, and national security and intelligence to ensure compliance.