Amid rising insecurity in parts of Nigeria, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has cautioned against calls for self-defence, warning that such a move could plunge the country into anarchy.
Speaking on a satellite television programme on Monday, Governor Namadi responded to recent comments by retired General Theophilus Danjuma, who urged Nigerians to defend themselves against bandits and armed attackers, particularly in Benue and Plateau States.
General Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence, had argued that reliance on the government for protection was no longer tenable given the spate of violence and killings in the country.
Governor Namadi rejected that approach, describing it as a dangerous path.
Namadi said General Danjuma is a very senior security person, and his words deserve respect and analysis but he is causing anarchy by suggesting citizens should be allowed to defend themselves, as those citizens are yet to reach that level.
He argued that rather than encourage armed self-defence, the government at all levels must continue to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
