Released kidnapped businessman advocates for legalisation of guns

A popular businessman in Benue State, Chief Isaac Akinkunmi has called on government to legalise the carriage of guns by individuals for self defence due to the increasing wave of insecurity in the country.

Akinkunmi, who regained freedom after three days in kidnappers’ den a fortnight ago, said it had become necessary to advocate for the legalisation of guns for credible persons because attackers were taking advantage of defenseless citizens to cause avoidable harms.

The businessman made the call in Makurdi on Thursday when officials of the Benue State Motorcycle Association (BEMOA) Makurdi branch, paid him a solidarity visit at his office.

Expressing worry that the insecurity bedeviling Nigerians in all parts of the country was backed by the small and light weapons, which found its way into the hands of wrong people even when the government insisted on retrieving licensed guns from individuals, Akinkunmi said: “I feel there should equally be legal guns in the hands of credible persons, given the fact that illegal guns are in the hands of bandits and armed robbers, who go to places where the people are defenseless and massacre them.

“As it is in Nigeria now, there is no balance of power; the balance has shifted to the hands of criminals. So there should be the legalisation of guns in the hands of credible people.”

The businessman also stressed the need for state police, even as he noted that governments must live up to its responsibility by providing security for Nigerians and endeavour to spend money on things that would create jobs for unemployed youths.