The Police have warned against the call by former Minister of Defence, General T.Y Danjuma (rtd) for Nigerians, especially the people of Taraba State, to defend themselves and their territories against bandits.
For the second time, Danjuma on Saturday implored the citizens to bear arms in self-defence, asking them to find out how the bandits and terrorists attacking them acquired their own arms.
Danjuma, in 2018 made a similar call, asking Nigerians to take up arms and defend themselves as their safety is not guaranteed by the Buhari administration.
Speaking during the coronation and presentation of staff of office to the new Aku Uka of Wukari, the paramount ruler of Kwararafa Kingdom in Wukari, Ishaku Manu Ada Ali, Danjuma restated his position on self-defense, stressing that innocent Nigerians are being killed by bandits, while, according to him, the military looks the other way.
He said: “When I said the military were colluding with the armed bandits in 2017, the then minister of defence made a kangaroo commission of enquiry that mischievously submitted that there was no evidence about my claim and they asked me to come and defend it. I thank God today that the evidence is very clear to all Nigerians now. All Nigerian communities are now being sacked by the same bandits I alleged and all these bandits are foreigners.
“As a soldier, I must say the best way to defend is to attack. I will not buy arms for you. Find out how those attacking you acquired it, and then acquire it and attack back to defend yourselves and your territories.
“I congratulate you, the new supreme ruler of the great Kwararafa Kingdom, the Aku Uka of Wukari. I must advise you to embrace peace and ensure its existence but I must as well tell you to defend your territory and the people.
“You are surrounded by the armed bandits who are out to kill and destabilise the peace of your territory and you must explore serious efforts to defend your people and the territory.”
But in reaction, the Police declared on Saturday that there is an outright prohibition on both local and automatic fire arms in Nigeria, warning that the law is still in force.
The Police further said licenses are not being issued, adding that all fire arms in circulation are to be returned to the closest police facility for safe keeping.
The Deputy PRO of FCT, ASP Daniel Ndirpaya, said: “There are a group of people whose effort in the fight against insecurity cannot be downplayed. They permissibly bear these arms to work in a concerted effort with the police to keep our society safe.
“They are known and can be accounted for. Any other found possession of the firearm is charged for unlawful possession of a firearm and is investigated accordingly. Local guns do not belong in the same category as cutlasses. It is safe to call the cutlasses and short knives and similar objects weapons.
“One of the easiest definitions of a firearm is an object that can be used to inflict grave bodily injury on a person. It could result in death and hospitalisation. But the machete or cutlasses usually found with herdsmen and farmers are naturally not created as a weapon for causing injuries to another”.