Banditry: Official Says Akwa Ibom Women Now go to Farm With Weapons for Protection

Banditry: Official Says Akwa Ibom Women Now go to Farm With Weapons for Protection

- The state of insecurity in Akwa Ibom appears to have gone out of control

- Authorities say virtually everyone around a particular local government area has armed themselves

- An urgent intervention of the federal government has been demanded to ensure the situation does not escalate

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An official in Akwa Ibom state has revealed that women now go to farm with riffles to protect themselves from attacks by armed bandits.

Israel Idaisin, the Ini local government chairman made the disclosure while pleading for the immediate intervention of the federal government over the insecurity in the area.

According to him, members of the communities now move about with weapons due to the protracted Nkari boundary crisis.

Banditry: Official Says Akwa Ibom Women Now go to Farm With Weapons for Protection
The Udom Emmanuel-led administration has not officially reacted to the news. Photo credit: @MrUdomEmmanuel
Source: Facebook

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He said even women and children from Nkari community now go to the farm with either short or long riffles, cautioning both the federal and state governments that the situation, if not addressed, would breed a future generation of bandits who may become thorns in the flesh of government.

Daily Sun quoted him as saying:

“The daily crisis we have in Ini local government area is the Nkari crisis. The people there, including women and children, now go about with weapons to protect themselves. Everyone there is either with a long or short riffle to protect themselves from the Ikwanno people.”

Meanwhile, a former chairman of the Police Equipment Fund, Chief Kenny Martins on Thursday, March 25 disclosed that following rising insecurity in the country, Nigerians individually and collectively spend over N1trillion annually to provide security for themselves and their property.

Martins made this known while speaking as a guest speaker at an event with the theme: “Security Challenge and Implication on National Development,” held in Lagos.

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He urged the government to play its role in ensuring the security of lives and properties in the country.

In a related development, the House of Representatives may soon pass a Bill for Act, to permit Nigerians from the age of eighteen, to carry arms for self-defence.

A bill to that effect, entitled: “Firearms Amendment Bill,” has already been sponsored by Honourable Adejoro Adeogun.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Jerrywright Ukwu avatar

Jerrywright Ukwu Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.