Insecurity: Benue governor Samuel Ortom signs amended law that allow volunteer guards to bear arms.
Samuel Ortom Governor of Benue state has on Tuesday, October
26th, 2021 assented to the amended community volunteer
guards law of the state. The law allows local guards to legally carry weapons
as recognized by the constitution.
The law is not new
as it was passed in the years 2000 by the state house of assembly and was
assented to by George Akume the former Benue State Governor. According to
Ortom, It has become necessary to amend the law in other to aid the guards so
they can complement the grossly inadequate security agents in the fight against
insecurity.
Since
the recruitment process is community-based, traditional rulers will oversee it
Ortom added. The governor added that
five-person will be recruited from the Kindreds in the state, 10 recruited from
ward level and local government would have representatives from council wards
to ensure proper management and supervision of the guards.
The governor also stated the criteria for selecting
the guards- they must have a means of livelihood and must be within the age
bracket of 18-50 years. They must do their work devoid of politics.
In the past, the Benue
state government has thought that Nigerians carry AK 47 in self-defense and has
even asked the indigenes of the state to carry guns to defend themselves from
herdsmen and gunmen.
