Following the increase in the state of insecurity across the country, the Arewa Grassroot Leaders Assembly (AGLA) has urged the federal government to legalise possession of AK-47s for self-defense in rural communities, with proper monitoring and regulation.
It also called on President Bola Tinubu to deploy more security personnel to the affected areas and also establish a task force to investigate and apprehend perpetrators.
The President of the group, Hon. Collins Onogu, while addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja said the call became imperative following the recent wave of killings in Northern Nigeria, particularly in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Niger, and Zamfara states.
He lamented that the recent attacks have resulted in the loss of over 300 lives, saying it was a grim reminder of the security challenges facing the nation.
Giving a breakdown of the attacks, he recalled that on March 5, 2025, Ruwi village, in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State was attacked with 12 people killed, eight people were killed in Pyakmalu village.
Onogu noted that on April 3, 2025 Hurti, Manguna, Daffo were attacked with 40 people killed, whereas on April 13-14, 2025 Zaki, Kimapwa, and Kwal villages in Bassa local government were attacked with over 56 people killed.
He said, similarly, on April 16, 2025, Bachit District in Riyom LGA was attacked by terrorists with five people killed
Onogu added that on April 18, 2025, Ukum LGA, Ugondo, Logo, Tyuluv, Gbagir in Benue state were attacked with about 56 persons killed and many injured; while on April 10, 2025, Kajuru LGA, Ungwan Jada of Kaduna state were attacked with 15 people killed.
He said on April 12, 2025, terrorists attacked Gwantu in Chikun LGA killing 10 people, while on April 15, 2025; terrorists attacked Borgu in Rafi LGA of Nigeria state killing 20 people and on April 17, 2025, terrorists attacked Tudun Wada in Anka LGA of Zamfara State killing 12 persons.
To this end, the group called on President Bola Tinubu and the security agencies to take immediate action to stop the carnage.
It added: “We demand that the government legalise the possession of AK-47 for self-defense in rural communities, with proper monitoring and regulation
“We urge the government to increase funding for security agencies and provide them with necessary equipment and resources.
“We propose that the government support community-led security initiatives, including community vigilante groups and neighborhood watches.”
Asked if legalising AK-47 would not lead to anarchy, Onogu noted that it can’t lead to anarchy because those that would influence the anarchy are already in possession of the sophisticated weapons.
He was of the opinion that to ensure that the issue of insecurity is a thing of the past, there was a need for the federal government to allow the rural communities to defend themselves.
Onogu stated: “It is also a known fact that the bandits, the criminal, the terrorists, are already in possession of those arms. Based on our findings and what we know in the communities that they have attacked so far, if all the people in those communities are also equipped with AK 47, those who come to attack them in their villages would have also have casualties among them.”