Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, has tackled President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime for its objection to the use of ‘automatic rifles’ by local security outfits, more specifically by the Community Volunteer Guards, recently launched to tackle insecurity in the state. 

Mr Ortom, like his counterpart in Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu, lamented that the Community Volunteer Guards, and the  Amotekun Corps in the South-West were legally formed by law. 

The Benue governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, wondered why the Buhari regime would deny the two local security outfits the right to bear “AK 47” while the ones in Katsina, the president’s home state, would be allowed to carry weapons. 

In August 2022, Mr Ortom unveiled the state’s security outfit otherwise known as ‘Community Volunteers Guards’ in Benue with the promise to arm them with assorted weapons to protect the people of the state. 

While inaugurating the local security outfit, the governor revealed that his administration decided to constitute the outfit to ensure protection for the people of Benue since the federal government has failed to disarm the marauding herdsmen terrorising the state.

“Given the fact that the federal government has consistently failed to disarm the Fulani terrorists who have continued to maim and kill our people at will, the state government is going to apply for a licence to legally procure AK47, AK49, and other sophisticated weapons for the Benue State Volunteers Guards to enable them to tackle these murderous terrorists effectively,” the Benue governor had said while unveiling the local security outfit. 

Speaking further on Thursday at the 2022 Oyo State governance retreat with the theme: “Finishing Strong: A Legacy of Prosperity”, held in Ibadan, Mr Ortom told the Buhari regime that securing the lives and properties of the people of the country is the main business of the government. 

He stated it was the reason why his government inaugurated the Open Grazing Prohibition Law and also reactivated the State Community Volunteer Guards Law, just as it domesticated the Peace Commission into law. 

On Tuesday, the Buhari regime claimed it had not approved the use of arms and ammunition for any state or regional security outfit even in the face of daunting security challenges bedeviling the country. 

A spokesman for the presidency, Garba Shehu, in a statement, said no state has been authorised to procure ‘automatic weapons” for their security outfits.  

“Under this administration, the President has repeatedly made it clear that nobody is allowed to illegally carry AK-47 or any other automatic weapons and that they must surrender them,” he said in a statement. 

Mr Shehu added that only the National Security Adviser (NSA) has been empowered to authorise the use of arms and ammunition by security outfits, following proper clearance by the President and Commander-In-Chief. 

But in a quick disapproval, Ondo governor Akeredolu took a swipe at the Buhari’s regime and queried where the guns seen with Katsina vigilantes in a viral video came from.

“Who approved their use? Were the guns returned to the armoury after use?” The governor asked.