BLUF
Above all, some Nigerians are worried that while the country is experiencing unprecedented security problems of unimaginable and embarrassing proportion, the authorities appear not to be interested in taking the pains to remove these obvious barriers and educate the people about their right to bear arms self-defence from armed criminals who come to kill, maim, steal and destroy their properties.

Self-defence bombshell: Many Nigerians agree with Danjuma, differ on source of arms

This week, Nigeria’s fragile state of security once again became an issue on the front burner of public discourse, triggered by the frank call of a former Army Chief and Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), wherein he advocated that his people of Taraba state adopt self-defence in the wake of serial massacres.

The elder statesman had spoken last weekend in the Wukari area of the state, where Governor Darius Ishaku, at a massive social gathering, presented the staff of office to His Royal Majesty Manu Ishaku Adda Ali, the 25th Aku Uka.

The occasion was not the first time TY Danjuma would unabashedly make a categorical statement on the weaknesses of the country’s security architecture.

In fact, in 2018, when he first came out to persuade Nigerians to embrace self-defense as an effective panacea to the nation’s security challenges, he even accused the military of not being a neutral force.

Though Danjuma, in Wukari, knocked the military afresh for living in denial over the country’s aggravating security challenges, what has really compelled urgent, but critical introspection was his advice for ordinary citizens to source for arms and ammunition in the same way and manner the criminals terrorising their communities were mobilising their own lethal weapons.

Danjuma’s words

The octogenarian said, “Our country is under siege by armed bandits, all over the country. Some few years ago, I warned that the Armed Forces are either not capable or unwilling to protect us and that we must defend ourselves.

“The first denial of what I said came from the Ministry of Defence. They said I was lying and they set up a kangaroo Board of Inquiry to investigate the truth or otherwise of what I said and they invited me to come and testify, I did not go.

“They wrote their report, which said that I was only speculating, that there was no evidence. And now there is evidence; the whole country now is being run and overrun.

“Right now, we are all sitting ducks, these people are armed to the teeth with all weapons of mass destruction and we don’t have them but we have the numbers and the land belongs to us. They are trying to recolonise us and take over our land. Can I allow you to defend yourselves?” he asked the crowd who chanted a loud ‘Yes!’ in unison.

Danjuma continued, “They said I told them to defend themselves, I didn’t give them arms. I will not give you arms, find out how these people got arms. Use the same means to defend yourselves.

“This beautiful land called Nigeria, the biggest country for black men in the whole world is being brought to ruin by absolutely useless criminals. But how did they get here? Of course, some of them are foreigners and there are collaborators.

“So, my prayer is that God Almighty that has given us this land will give us the courage to face our enemy, locate where he is and drive him out of the country. This we must do otherwise Nigeria is finished.”

Public Affairs analysts react

Self-defense is the first law of nature. Hence, it is a natural right. To break the concept down, it implies one’s justification of harm on another person on the grounds that the losses were inflicted to protect oneself from physical injuries or death.

Some public affairs analysts, civil society groups, religious and ethnic leaders have said Danjuma’s obvious loss of faith in Nigeria’s military, an institution he meritoriously served as a vibrant youth reaching the pinnacle of his career at the age of 37 years when he became the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in 1975, cannot be faulted given the mass killings recorded across the country in recent times.

However, others have dismissed his counsel not only as an impracticable experiment, but also an outright invitation to anarchy.

Among those who perceive Danjuma as one who is not given to frivolities, or seeking cheap publicity, but a man of few and very blunt words is Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, a lawyer and human rights activist, who strongly believes that it is a lawful act for one to defend not only himself, but also his loved ones, neighbours, properties and even strangers from unlawful violence as long as the force applied is proportional to that used by the assailant.

According to Omirhobo, “if you are attacked with a stick, defend yourself with a stick, if you are attacked with a cutlass defend yourself with a cutlass and if you are attacked with a gun, defend yourself with a gun and if in the course of defending yourself as demanded by law you kill your assailant you will not be said to have committed murder.”

Unarguably, the activist is on the same page with Danjuma on the need for some form of balance of terror which is the only language that terrorist understands, but he slightly differs with the him on the means of sourcing for arms and ammunition.

The lawyer is of the view that there is a legal way of sourcing for lethal weapons in contrast to the illegal means by which the terrorists acquire theirs.

In a call-to-action to Nigerians, Omirhobo said: “I urge you to apply for single barrel guns, double guns and pump-action guns from the Commissioner of Police of your state of residence; and if you desire to possess an AK-47 rifle, apply to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the only issuing and licensing authority for that category.”

In the same breath, the Kaduna state Chairman of CAN, Rev. John Hayab, believes Danjuma’s comments aptly captured the mood of many indigenous people, who feel betrayed by the government and its security forces.

In a chat with Saturday Vanguard, he said: “Nigerians have waited for the government through the security agencies to defend them but the results have not been stable.

“When you hear one success story today and relax the next day you may be a victim or hear stories of more attacks which is why some prominent leaders serving and retired are calling for people to adopt self-defense.

“The call for self-defense is simply to alert communities that they should not continue to wait for help where help is not coming. This false hope that government is on top of the situation has led to the death of many innocent citizens and payments of huge ransoms to get our loved ones back home.

“Every indigenous community should therefore see self-defense as their patriotic duty and contribution to securing Nigeria.

“Our government and the security agencies have acknowledged the need for every Nigerian to play his role to support the government to defeat the bandits and terrorists.

“The role of citizens could be that of supporting the war against bandits and terrorists by giving out useful information, self-defense, and working with other community members to protect your area from attacks.”

He, nonetheless, urged the faithful to pray for governments and security agencies as they discharge their constitutional roles.

Also, weighing-in on Danjuma’s fresh call for self-defense and his suggestion for the local people to acquire weapons either via smuggling them into the country through the porous borders or raiding the armoury of police stations and other security bases like the terrorists, Mr Armsfree Ajanaku, the Programme and Communications Manager, Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), said the ex-army general’s advice, which resonated well with many indigenous peoples, simply mirrored the people’s desperation for a viable solution to the insecurity plaguing their communities.

Ajanaku, however, believes that rather than allow the situation deteriorate to the point where indigenous peoples will have no choice, but to source for arms through criminal means like their tormentors, those leading the country can still save it from implosion by first, fulfilling their oath of office to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

According to him, the overhaul of the nation’s security architecture has become a desideratum.

He said, “the call by prominent leaders for people to take up arms and defend themselves in the face of mindless killing by bandits shows how much citizens are desperately looking to solutions.

“It is also clear that the current security architecture has failed the people terribly. Those making the calls are justifiably sounding the alarm bell in the hope that those saddled with securing lives and property will act.

“Unfortunately, the people are on their own, and they are being killed in droves by outlaws. CHRICED calls for a radical rethinking of our nation’s security architecture.

“As we have always said, the current over centralized policing system, which is far and removed from the communities is no longer capable of securing life and limb, especially in far flung rural parts of this country. Policing now has to be devolved,” he told Saturday Vanguard.

Since the authorities appear not to be heeding the perennial call for a decentralisation of the Nigeria’s security architecture, some Nigerians are beginning to think perhaps it is time to explore how Nigerians can defend themselves without reducing the country to a field of blood.

Pernicious terror statistics of 2022

Dare-devil terror gangs had raided some communities in Kebbi state where they murdered 80 people on 8th March 2022.

Barely 20 days later, on the 28th of March 2022, they attacked a train on the Abuja/Kaduna route, killing at least eight persons including a pretty and young medical doctor, Dr Megafu Chinelo.

Two months after, on 29th May 2022, while about 60 passengers of the ill-fated Kaduna-bound train were still languishing in the forests where they had been held hostage, the Methodist Prelate Nigeria, His Grace Archbishop Samuel Kanu, was kidnapped alongside the Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark; and the Prelate’s Chaplain.

On week later, on 5th June 2022, while Christian faithful were commemorating this year’s Holy Feast of Pentecost, armed terrorists detonated bombs at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, killing about 40 worshippers instantly and injuring over 80 persons with gunfire.

After 30 days, on 5th July 2022, a company of about 100 terrorists, whose allegiance was pledged to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP),, launched a night time attack on the Kuje Maximum Security Prison in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Armed to the teeth, they detonated very high-grade explosives, shot dead a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and three other inmates while wounding about three others who reportedly refused to “obey” instructions.

The ISWAP foot soldiers freed over 800 inmates of the Kuje prison including very high-profile terror suspects. While some of the escapees have been nabbed, over 440 are still at large.

No doubts, Nigeria is at war with itself when these terror attacks are put in proper perspective.

The Oxford English dictionary defines war as “a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country.”

Based on this simple definition, some eminent

Nigerians, including the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, recently postulated that Nigeria is, indeed, at war with terrorists, bandits and so-called unknown gunmen.

Legal basis for self-defence

The UN Human Rights Charter recognises self-defense. Article 51 under Chapter VII of the Charter states that: “Nothing in the present charter shall impair the inherent right of an individual or collective self- defence if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security.”

Likewise, Section 33(2a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) equally recognises the right to self-defense. However, the country’s supreme law expressed it this way: “A person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this Section, if he dies as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary-

In the same vein, both the Criminal and Penal Codes in Nigeria support the right of self-defence.

Hindrances

However, there are hindrances to making self-defence a pragmatic solution to the country’s raging insecurity.

Much as the proposal for self-defence appears good on paper, its implementation will be difficult. For instance, Nigeria’s Firearms Act does not allow for the possession of arms by those not authorised to do so.

Also, in defending himself, a person is not to use a weapon higher than that used by his attacker i.e. the weapon of self-defense must be proportional to the weapon of the attacker. How can this aspect be accurately determined?

Above all, some Nigerians are worried that while the country is experiencing unprecedented security problems of unimaginable and embarrassing proportion, the authorities appear not to be interested in taking the pains to remove these obvious barriers and educate the people about their right to bear arms self-defence from armed criminals who come to kill, maim, steal and destroy their properties.