2 months ago
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MURTALA ABUBAKAR AND ISAH ABUBAKAR
Two prominent northern groups – the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria and the Arewa Defence League, a pro-democracy group in the North, have expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity in Northern Nigeria and thus urged citizens to take up self-defence against bandits.
Meanwhile, Ishaq Usman Kasai, Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari-Niger Interboundary Community Union for Peace and Development has also called for legislation allowing Nigerians to bear arms for self-defence against bandits terrorising citizens.
Murtala Abubakar, President of the Arewa Defense League, a pro-democracy group in the North, emphasised the need for citizens to bear arms in self-defence against bandits, citing the government’s failure to protect lives and property.
In an exclusive chat with Arewa PUNCH, Abubakar stated, “By social contract theory, citizens submit their rights to an authority to protect them. But any government that fails to protect these rights has completely failed in its fundamental principle of governance.”
He warned that Nigeria is heading towards a situation like the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the capital city is protected, but the periphery is controlled by militias.
Therefore, Abubakar suggested that citizens should be organised through community efforts to bear arms and protect themselves, stressing that this is a last resort in the face of government failure.
“We are therefore suggesting that in the event where the government has failed woefully to carry out its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property, citizens should be organised through a community effort in order to bear arms to protect themselves,” he added.
On his part, the National President of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria,
Isah Abubakar also expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity in Northern Nigeria, urging citizens to take up self-defence against bandits and other forms of criminality that include kidnapping and terrorism.
In a chat with Arewa PUNCH in Kaduna on Friday, Abubakar lamented the government’s failure to protect lives and properties despite having two ministers of defence from the Northwest region.
He noted that the bandits have overpowered security operatives, leaving citizens with no choice but to defend themselves.
“It is very disheartening, at the rate at which mass killings have skyrocketed in recent times in Northern Nigeria… the citizens have no choice but to stay with this reality for the time being.
“Having two ministers of defence from the same region of the Northwest has not shown any significant improvement on the security challenges faced by the people of this region.
“People should be allowed to protect themselves because it appears the government has failed in that area of providing security of life and properties, which is the absolute responsibility of government.
“The bandits operating in the north have overpowered the security operatives in the region; only the people can defend themselves, Abubakar insisted.
Meanwhile, Ishaq Usman Kasai, Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari-Niger Inter-boundary Community Union for Peace and Development (BGNI-CUPD), called for legislation allowing Nigerians to bear arms for self-defence against bandits terrorising citizens.
In an exclusive interview with Arewa PUNCH in Kaduna on Friday, Kasai stated that reconciliation efforts and negotiations with bandits have failed, leaving self-defence as the only viable option.
He cited numerous failed negotiations between communities and bandits in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, and Kaduna as examples to back up his call for arms bearing by individuals as a means of defence.
Kasai acknowledged concerns about arming citizens but stressed the need for immediate action due to the government’s inability to protect citizens.
He maintained that self-defence is now the most effective means of protection for communities.
He pointed out, “Since reconciliation/negotiation has failed, there is a need for the government to legislate the bearing of arms for self-defence. This is the best option for now.
“Many Nigerians are being kidnapped, and the government could not rescue them. Some communities are trying it as an alternative to the government’s inability to protect.
“There have been series of failed negotiations between the communities especially farmers and the bandits and at the end of it, but at the end of it failed.
“Negotiation with these criminals has never worked. Birnin-Gwari Community negotiated with bandits, and it never worked. I insist that the only option left is self-defence.”
Arewa PUNCH reports further that the Birnin-Gwari-Niger Inter-boundary Community Union for Peace and Development is made up of members of the Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna State and Niger State
