Amid rising concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has rejected calls for citizens to resort to self-defence, warning that such a move could trigger anarchy across the country.
Governor Namadi made this position known during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme aired on Monday.
His comments came in reaction to a recent call by former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), who urged citizens in Benue and Plateau States to defend themselves against incessant attacks by armed bandits and terrorists.
Danjuma, a former military chief, had argued that it was no longer realistic for Nigerians to depend solely on the government for protection. His advice was aimed particularly at communities repeatedly targeted by violent groups, which he said had been left vulnerable and unprotected.
However, Governor Namadi sharply disagreed with Danjuma’s recommendation, insisting that it would only worsen the crisis. “He (Danjuma) is a very serious security person, but I think citizens being allowed to defend themselves will cause anarchy, but the issue is, the government is doing its best in the security architecture and security arrangement,” Namadi stated.
He emphasised that the idea of individuals taking up arms to defend themselves was a recipe for chaos and could escalate the violence across communities. According to him, while insecurity remains a serious concern, there are still functioning state mechanisms and alternative methods of conflict resolution that should be prioritised over self-defence.
The Jigawa governor cited his own state’s approach to managing the recurring farmer-herder crisis as an example of how dialogue and strategic engagement can be effective in resolving conflicts without resorting to arms.
“Like I said, what we did in Jigawa, if we allowed the people to defend themselves, that means you’re causing crisis between farmers and herders. But when we came in, we deployed a lot of strategies including dialogue and trying as much as possible to engage traditional rulers and (stakeholders) from both farmers and herders’ side,” he explained.
Namadi noted that rather than inciting violence, the state government chose to create a platform for both sides to communicate and find common ground. This process, he said, included setting up a reconciliation committee made up of traditional rulers, farmers and herders.
He added, “Now, they are able to work together, interact together and live their normal lives together. So, I think the government is doing its best, both at federal and different state levels. The issue of asking people to defend themselves, I think we have not reached that level yet.”
