The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Samson Ayokunle, says the country is more than ripe for states to have their own police or security outfits.
This, he said, was necessary for states to ensure adequate protection of lives and property, noting that Nigerians are at the mercy of killer herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers among others.
Ayokunle, who spoke during an interface with Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, urged the Federal Government to institute an inquiry into the proliferation of arms in the country, their sources and commence the process of mopping up.
He queried why there was prevalence of unknown gunmen.
“The people that are attacked know those attacking them but what they don’t know are those equipping their attackers with ammunition”, he lamented.
“I have taken this matter to Mr President at Aso Rock several times, and I am just pleading that Mr President would show more concern by not just sending the police or army to those communities, but also ensure they get those killing people arrested.
“As we have always said, the time is more than ripe for each state and community to have its own security outfit like other developed nations.
“It is high time we do an appraisal on how we have been doing things and how things are supposed to be done. “
Taraba State Coordinator of IDPs, Dauda Goding, who described IDPs condition in the state as unfortunate, noted that displaced persons had started dying in their various camps.
No fewer than 11 IDPs, he claimed, had lost their lives since January, adding that their ancestral homes are still not safe and called for more security presence to enable them return home.
“Our current condition as displaced persons for more than one year is becoming unbearable and we are tired of begging because we are not lazy people,” Goding said.
The state CAN Chairman, Innocent Solomon, thanked the CAN President for the visit and pleaded for more prayers for Taraba and the nation to overcome their numerous challenges.
Relief materials, including bags of grains, packets of spaghetti and toiletries, were donated to the IDPs by the CAN President.
