The Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi, says Nigerians are not ripe to be allowed to bear arms.
Audi, who made the observation when he attended the News Agency of Nigeria Forum (NAN), in Abuja, said: “I strongly disapproved of it. Even now that there is no law in existence, there is still the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the hands of people”, adding that “it has to do with civilisation and education.
According to him, “Even in Europe and America where they have that law, whereby virtually everybody once you can drive can have arms, they are now trying to control it because of how some events are unfolding. In the world, especially in Europe and America, somebody will just wake up and just go to a school and open fire on kids. You know that is madness.
“And so for me, I don’t think we are there yet to allow citizens to carry arms”.
He said that the Corps, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, had trained over 3,000 Agro-Rangers to provide security to farms and other agro-allied investments.
The CG further said that the unit was a specialised department, which also help to reconcile farmers and herders.
“They are under a department called: “Peace and Conflict Resolution”, and using the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism; they have settled over 1,000 cases between farmers and herders nationwide.
“You can see them visibly in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Adamawa, Enugu and they are there doing their work”, he said.
