Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state Wednesday urged the federal government to grant licences to responsible citizens to carry sophisticated weapons such as AK47 to deter criminals from attacking innocent and helpless Nigerians, OBSERVERS TIMES report learnt.
He said most at times criminals carry sophisticated weapons which sometimes dwarf those possessed by security men.
Governor Ortom who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi, during a courtesy call by members of the youth parliament in Benue, in commemoration of the World Youths Day, said the gun licencing policy should be backed by a strict legal framework to prevent illegal possession of arms by the citizenry without exception.
The governor also urged governments at all levels to take seriously the fact that insecurity is a real threat to development of the country and be willing to sincerely tackle the menace.
He recommended adequate funding of security agencies and continuous training of their personnel to enable them be abreast of global dynamics in the fight against insecurity.
Governor Ortom also advocated improved educational standards and enhanced public enlightenment campaigns to give the people, particularly youths the needed orientation to shun negative acts and become more patriotic.
He called for the repositioning of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency through training, funding and logistics to successfully confront drug barons and peddlers; a move he said would stop illegal drugs from entering and circulating in the country.
Governor Ortom also recommended that the embargo on employment be lifted and more job opportunities created to take Nigerian youths from the streets.