A group under the umbrella of Katsina State Innovative Thinkers Initiative (KITI), has reiterated Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s call on the residents of the state, to possess firearms to defend themselves against banditry in some parts of the state.
Governor Masari on several occasions said citizens of the state should take up arms and defend themselves against the attack and kidnapping for ransom by bandits in the state.
The motion again dominated a debate competition organised for secondary school students in Katsina State recently, where the convener, Abdul Muhammad Rafindadi (SAN) reaffirmed the perspective.
He, however, lauded the State Government’s effort to reposition the education that gave in to the full participation of talented students who argued on the topic; “Every Nigerian should have the right to hold a gun.”
He described the debate as very persuasive and explained the decision of organising the competition as a way of giving back to society, conceding that the bandits abused the dignity of the people in the state and always wouldn’t want the people to have guns.
“ But when people have guns for lawful purposes then those who will have them for lawful purposes will be higher than the number of those who have them for unlawful purposes.
“Let us for now allow people to own guns so that they can even protect their dignity, for bandits coming to people’s homes and rape their daughters in their present and take their wives still ask for ransoms, and we still say ‘Raikashidade’ to then. That is the worse humiliation anyone can take”, he said
Earlier, Barr. Murtala Aliyu Kankia also said the debate was timely in the country that is faced with security challenges, kidnapping, cattle rustling and robbery which are mainly committed to the use of firearms.
He reaffirmed that the use of firearms should be regulated as obtained in our estate laws.
He said “I wish to draw the attention of the representative of the government that is here, of course, the ministry of Justice, we have our lawmakers and judiciary here including leaders of the community present to note that the issue discussed in the debate should not be left under the carpet.
