Onitiri berates Defence Minister over comment on banditry

A Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri has berated the Defence Minister, Bashir Salihi Magashi over his recent comment, describing it as admittance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) failure in its constitutional duty of protecting Nigerians and their property.

Few days ago, Magashi called on Nigerians to defend themselves against the unending atrocities of the bandits and other heinous criminals unleashing terror on the citizenry.

In a statement yesterday, in Lagos, Onitiri said that the APC was elected into power on the three points to provide security for all Nigerians, fight corruption and improve the economy of the country.

According to him, the APC government headed by President Muhammadu Buhari has failed on all the three fronts, adding that the major responsibility of any responsible government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens and failure to do this, it has no constitutional mandate to remain in power.

“The Minister of Defence has just said that Nigerians should defend themselves against insurgents and bandits. We wonder with what? Is he saying that the Federal Government is now helpless and can no longer defend us? Is he calling for anarchy or asking the citizens to take up arms to fight the bandits.

“We demand that the government should license every citizen to carry arms, especially AK47 rifles now that the herders are carrying AK47 rifles publicly without being challenged by security men,” Onitiri stated.