New Telegraph

Call to arms: It’s time for selfdefence, say ethnic nationalities

• Self-preservation, first law of nature –Ohanaeze

• State, local govt police, solution, says Afenifere

• CDS statement unfortunate –PANDEF

 

Ethnic nationalities have backed Governor Bello Matawale’s call on residents to acquire arms to defend themselves against bandits and insurgents even as they said that self-defence was now inevitable since the government has failed in its primary duty of protecting its citizens.

 

That was even as the General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye, enjoined the faithful to defend themselves as he said that it is now fire for fire. The ethnic nationalities and the revered clergyman said this in reaction to the Zamfara State government’s directive to the residents of the state to prepare and obtain guns to defend themselves against bandits, who have been terrorising the state.

 

The Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, had in a statement disclosed that the government had directed the state Commissioner of Police to issue licenses to all those who qualify and are willing to obtain guns to defend themselves. Dosara had said: “Government has, henceforth, directed individuals to prepare and obtain guns to defend themselves against the bandits, as the government has directed the state commissioner of police to issue a license to all those who qualify and are wishing to obtain such guns to defend themselves.

 

“Government is ready to facilitate people, especially our farmers, to secure basic weapons for defending themselves. The government has already concluded an arrangement to distribute 500 forms to each of the 19 emirates in the state for those willing to obtain guns to defend themselves.

 

“People must apply to the Commissioner of Police to own guns and such other basic weapons to be used in defending themselves.

 

A secretariat or centre will be established for the collection of intelligence on the activities of informants.” But in a swift reaction, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, said the governor’s stance was wrong and unconstitutional. Irabor, who said that he was yet to understand the rationale behind such a wrong call, said: “I believe that, in my view, it is not the right way to go.”

Also, he said that the Federal Government, through the Attorney General, would look at the details of the position of the Zamfara State Government and added: “If what I read is true, I do not also think that the governor has the power to instruct the commissioner of police to issue licenses, because the Commissioner of Police does not have the powers to issue licenses.”

However, leaders of the ethnic nationalities in different interviews with Sunday Telegraph said that Matawale’s position was borne out of frustration as the government has failed in its primary duty of protecting the lives and property of the citizens, hence the call for self-preservation. Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, through its spokesman, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, said the law of self preservation is the first law of nature.

 

He said: “The first law of nature is self-protection, selfsurvival. Its only when you are alive that you can talk about democracy. You can talk about wealth, you can’t talk about anything. “So, what concerns every individual is how to survive. But every other day, you are subjected to threats of numerous kinds.

 

However, it’s very unfortunate because if you go into the theory of government, people like Thomas Hobbes will talk about social contract; it’s like surrendering all these violence into the hands of a group called government.

 

“All these arms people are procuring, acquiring here and there, the essence of government is to surrender all of them into a group called government to take care; in order for them to protect all of us. “So, when the government has failed in their basic responsibility, the non-state actors have overwhelmed the government in a way; it becomes natural for people to talk about self defence.”

State, local govt police solution, says – Afenifere

To the National Publicity Secretary of Yoruba sociocultural organisation, Comrade Dare Ajayi, the only way out is through the creation of state, local government police as both the governor and the CDS could not be wrong in their stance.

He said: “Governor Bello Matawalle, as the Chief Security Officer of Zamfara State, has the onerous responsibility of providing security for his people. From his testimonies, all his efforts in this respect have not borne the desired results. His resorting to calling on the people to arm them should therefore be seen as a declaration of helplessness and desperation.

 

“The Chief of Defence Staff, on the other hand, is equally right to say that the governor has no power that he was trying to assert. “It is a fact that while State governors are dubbed as Chief Security Officers of their respective states, the wherewithal to provide such security is not totally in their hands, the civil aspect of providing security – the Police Force.

 

“This is why Afenifere has been consistently agitating for the establishment of state and local government Police. “It needs to be remembered that the only Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

The military is under the command of the President, whose authority is required in fundamental deployment of arms and personnel. I suppose this is what the Chief of Army Staff was calling Governor Matawalle’s attention to.”

 

State police way to go – Middlebelt Forum

 

Also weighing in, the Middle Belt Forum through its convener, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said: “In the Constitution of Nigeria, we are told that the primary purpose of government is the provision of security and welfare to its citizens. “Has the Federal Government provided security and welfare to Nigerians?

 

The answer is no. People are being killed on daily basis. People are being kidnapped on a daily basis and the government has done nothing after even knowing well where these bandits, these terrorists, these insurgents are.

 

“Their locations are known to the government. They have not been smoked out of existence and they are continually kidnapping Nigerians and stopping people from doing their normal businesses to provide food.

 

“So, since the Federal Government has failed, these state governors have to protect their people and since security agencies cannot do it, they have to tell their people to arm themselves to defend themselves.

 

“To regularise the system so that it will be a uniform system, it is only that we have a state police, so that we can have an organised system where a system which is controlled by the government will do the job.

Even the Constitution gives citizens the power to defend themselves”. He applauded the formation of regional and state security organs like Amotekun and the Volunteer Guards (in Benue state) and implored other states to also key in such initiatives.

Self-defence becomes inevitable –PANDEF

To the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the current situation in which people are killed daily by bandits necessitated the current call by individuals to bear arms. National Publicity Secretary of the group, Ken Robinson, said: “You know what the people of Zamfara State have been going through in the last three, four years under consistent attacks from bandits and terrorists and the failure of the security agencies to deal decisively with the situation.

 

“In places like Southern Kaduna, particularly in Kajuru Local Government Area, it has become a harvesting ground for terrorists/ bandits who have continuously decimated indigenous communities and at will without any intervention form the security agencies.

“So when you look at the failure of the security agencies and the ambiguity of the Federal Government, the people are left to fend for themselves.

So, self-defence becomes inevitable and that is the situation these governors have found themselves in and we cannot continue to sit down and watch a situation whereby criminals and bandits will move into churches and to communities that will kill people, destroy livelihoods and get away with it without any intervention from the security agencies.

“So, in that kind of situation, people have to defend themselves. So, it is unfortunate the Chief of Defence Staff made the statement that he made. “What the governors are saying is an indictment on the nation’s security agencies and it should be a challenge to the military and to the police and all other security agencies to sit up and do their job.

“Government is failing in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerians and we commend the governors for the boldness and courage in making those statements because what they have done is to tell the Federal Government and security agencies you are not doing your job. Sit up.”

 

President, Ijaw Youth Council, Peter Igbifa said: “Unfortunately, the government has not critically addressed this issue. It gives individuals the window to make self -defence an option.

But I wouldn’t say go and carry arms. I would rather say defend yourself as much as you can. “While the governors have immunity, they can announce that people should take up arms.

 

We will not announce that but we will as much as possible traditionally and to the best of our knowledge ensure that our communities are safe. No Ijaw community will be opened for anybody to come in and just begin to kill people. No. It won’t happen.”

 

Former president, Ijaw National Council, Charles Ambaowei, was acerbic in his reaction as he did not spare General Irabor. He said: “The Chief of Defence Staff should first be ashamed that out of 14 key national security agency heads. It is only him that is a southerner and of a Christian faith. All the other 13 are Muslims of northern Nigeria extraction. So, why will he even be the one coming to talk?” ‘

 

Defend yourselves… it is fire for fire –Pastor Adeboye

 

The General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Friday called on Christians to defend them amidst worsening insecurity in the land.

 

The lecturer turned preacher made the call at the Km 46 – Lagos – Ibadan Express Redemption Camp during the church’s July 2022 Holy  Ghost Service. The highly respected cleric stated that there is nowhere in the bible where God said a child of God cannot defend himself. He said that when God is silent, it simply means it is now the responsibility of his children to act. He added that, “from now on, it is going to be fire for fire.”

Speaking to his members, Adeboye said: “Some jokers said Churches should not open for three months. Who is your commander? God of Boko Haram, let the devil try any nonsense, from now on it is going to be fire for fire.”

 

Speaking further, the highly respected cleric fondly called Daddy G.O by many said: “I don’t want to say much because I know some people may want to twist it but I have searched the bible from cover to cover and there is nowhere in the bible where God said a child of God cannot defend himself. If you find the place, let me know.

 

He said that if they slap you on the right cheek, turn left. If they now slap the left, what did he say? When God is silent, do you know the meaning of that, it simply means over to you.” The cleric, however, noted that: “I am only talking to my children. Only my children who come to the Holy Ghost Service.”

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