Nigeria’s  former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that Nigerians should be licensed to carry sophisticated arms like AK-47 just like the Fulani herdsmen.

He stated this on Thursday when he visited a Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, who is popularly known as Sunday Igboho, at his Ibadan residence.

He however said that the best strategy to tackle the nation’s insecurity was for the government to rise to its responsibility to defend the people.

But he noted that another option to reducing mindless killings of law-abiding Nigerians was for the government to permit individuals to bear arms.

The former minister said that since the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd), urged Nigerians to defend themselves against kidnappers and killers, they should be allowed to carry sophisticated weapons to defend themselves effectively.

Fani-Kayode also quoted the Bauchi State Governor who said a few days ago that Fulani herdsmen should be allowed to carry AK-47, saying he disagrees with the governor on that his opinion.

“If you go by that principle, it makes absolute sense that if Fulani herdsmen are allowed to carry AK-47 to defend their cows and their lives if they feel threatened, then it is also logical that farmers, local people and each one of us to even have that right to defend ourselves against Fulani herdsmen or against those seeking to come and kill us.

“I am totally behind that and I like that. Why not? Americans have that right. If we had that long time ago, the killings we are witnessing now would not have the kind of atrocities being committed all over the country.

“Insecurity is not limited to the South-West; you will be surprised at what is going on in the North. But the best way is for the government to rise and defend us; that is why we pay them. ”

He said Igboho was not against law-abiding Fulani or any person from anywhere living in the South-West, but his position was that criminal herdsmen must stop their illegal activities or be flushed out of the region.

Fani-Kayode described Igboho as a freedom fighter who was ready to collaborate with anyone who wanted the region to be at peace.