The senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Opeyemi Bamidele, has told the Federal Government to be patriotic enough to deal with those fueling insecurity in the country.
Bamidele, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the time has come for Nigerians to rise up and deal with killers, land invaders, kidnappers, rapists and those instigating farmers-herdsmen crisis across the country.
The lawmaker made the remarks on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday while articulating his views on a motion sponsored by him and titled ‘General Insecurity in Nigeria and Matters Arising’.
In a statement made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, Bamidele warned that though he was against the culture of ethnic profiling in the farmers-herders’ clashes ravaging the country, this should not dissuade patriots from speaking the truth.
“The insecurity in the country is no longer about the Fulanis and Ibos, no longer about Yoruba and Kanuris or about Northeast or Southwest, but about Nigeria.
“This is the time that patriotic spirit that lives in all of us must guide us. Section 43 of the 1999 Constitution grants all of us the right to own property anywhere in the country. But this is different from ownership of lands.
“Land Use Act clearly spelt out three ways lands can be acquired: by government, corporate body or individual. Though I have the right to own property anywhere in the country, but I have no right to trespass on the land belonging to anyone.
“I am happy that government at all levels and individuals are suggesting ways to end farmers-herdsmen clashes, but it is not the right of anyone to trespass on the lands of anyone.
“The war against insecurity must be taken to every section of this country and our governors must be allowed to take charge of security in their localities,” the statement said.
Bamidele therefore maintained that governors in the country must be allowed to take charge of their state’s security, noting that anyone trespassing on people’s lands must be punished.
”They have to be cautioned because there is no patriotic spirit in people constituting security threat to other citizens.
“Let no one be afraid of being called a tribalist. This is the time to speak out the truth in the interest of Nigeria,” he added.