A North-based group, Arewa Development Forum for Peace and Justice, has expressed support for Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle’s advice to the state’s residents to carry arms for self-defense against bandits.
Rising from an urgent meeting in Kaduna, the group decried public criticisms, especially from the Chief of Defence Staff, against the governor’s advice.
The group reviewed the worsening security situation in the Northwest zone of the country, recalling the attack on a Shiroro mining site, Niger State, by gunmen, who, reportedly, killed no fewer than 17 security agents and abducted four Chinese expertriates.
“This came a few days after reports of attacks and kidnap of many people in some villages in Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states,” the group said.
“This crime against the Nigerian state and Nigerians has continued to thrive without any serious strategies in place to end the challenge by the security operatives,” the group lamented.
It said instead of the country’s top-ranking security operatives to design workable strategies to fight the bandits, they are criticising the strategy of the public bearing arms for protection.
“If it’s not right for citizens to carry arms in self-defence against these bandits, then who is supporting or licensing those invading bandits to continue maiming and killing our people by using AK-47 and other dangerous weapons in our region?”, the group queried.
“Governor Mutawalle is the man wearing the shoe and knows where it pinches, hence, our call on all meaning Nigerians to support his call on locals to legally acquire arms to defend their communities against any form of criminal invasion,” the group said.
“We are supporting any leader that makes a clear and acceptable decision within the armbit of law to bring lasting peace and security to lives and properties of citizens,” the groups said.
