October 06, (THEWILL) — When some people are pushed around for too long, they are forced to fight back by any means available. Such is the situation in Kebbe Local Government Area and other parts of Sokoto State where there has been a surge in deadly attacks by suspected bandits.
Fed up with the endless killings, kidnapping, rape, robbery, looting and burning perpetrated by the criminals, a group of residents of Kebbe LGA recently called on the Federal Government to permit them to bear sophisticated weapons for self-defence.
The residents, in a meeting with journalists held last Saturday in Sokoto, capital of the state, reportedly said they could no longer endure the murderous activities of bandits.
The group lamented that the Sokoto State Government had virtually abandoned them to fate. “We can’t sleep with our two eyes closed anymore. Our communities are being wiped out, and the government is doing little to protect us,” the residents, led by one Alhaji Haruna Kebbe, claimed.
Sokoto has been one of the northern states most affected by banditry in recent years, with emerging bandit groups unleashing an orgy of violence acros the state. Although the Sokoto State Government has acknowledged the growing threat posed by the terrorists, residents claim its measures have fallen far short of what is needed to guarantee safety.
At the moment, the residents of Kebbe LGA are saying that they are left with no choice but to defend themselves if the state government fails to act.
“If we can’t get protection from the government, then we must be allowed to protect ourselves,” they said.
This is not the first time, though, that Nigerians have appealed to the Federal Government for permission to own and bear arms for the purpose of self-defence, amid the worsening insecurity in the country.
Sometime in 2024, Senator Ned Nwoko, the lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, called for the introduction of a bill that would allow civilians to own and carry firearms.
Nwoko had noted that the bill was important, following increasing security challenges in the country. He had said, “It is evident that the existing security measures have not been sufficient in safe-guarding our communities. Allowing law-abiding citizens to possess firearms could potentially provide a sense of security and a means to protect themselves and their families from immediate threats.”
Earlier, former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom and the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Al-Hassan Ado-Doguwa, had made similar appeals to the Federal Government to allow Nigerians to take up arms and defend themselves against terrorists.
We believe that increasing calls for self-defence are a reflection of a deepening loss of confidence in the ability of the state to protect the ordinary citizens from the deadly activities of non-state actors. The calls also highlight the urgency for a decisive intervention by the Federal Government, especially in the situation in Kebbe and other affected LGAs in Sokoto State.
The government must act now to prevent a situation in which banditry and insurgency, two seeds in one pod, become deeply entrenched in the daily life of the nation.
