Afenifere Knocks Masari Over Calls For Citizens To Defend Themselves

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has described comments made by Governor Aminu Bello Masari asking citizens to engage in self-defence as unfortunate.

Afenifere made the submission on Wednesday while reacting to Masari’s call on citizens to get weapons to defend themselves and family members from bandits attacks.

In a media parley with reporters on Tuesday, the governor promised that his government will assist residents to get approved weapons for self-defence and ensure such weapons are registered with the police to avoid abuse.

Speaking with Vanguard on Wednesday, Afenifere spokesman, Jare Ajayi, slammed Masari for being reactive rather than his government being proactive.

Ajayi stated that the government cannot give the citizens weapons that would be as sophisticated as the ones in the hands of terrorists and bandits.

The Afenifere spokesman asked the governor and some of his colleagues who may be thinking of asking residents to defend themselves to perish the thought.

He said: “It is unfortunate because it further exposes the paucity of deep thinking at the level of governance in Nigeria.

“Saying that citizens would be given arms to defend themselves as a way of addressing the insecurity problem in Katsina is almost like saying that you are to ‘democratise’ crime because crime could not be controlled.

“What sort of weapons would the government give the citizens that would be as sophisticated as the ones in the hands of terrorists?

“And, what is the guarantee that those saddled with the responsibility of procuring the arms would not divert parts of it to the terrorists? The same governor earlier negotiated with the terrorists the other time, including paying them ransom — as reported.

“That did not stop terrorism from festering. What gave him and his advisers the confidence this new idea will work the magic? In any case, where will the money for the arms come from? From a budget that has no provision for such?

“Governor Masari and those who may be thinking like him should perish the thought. They can eat the humble pie, admit that they can no longer find solutions to societal problems. They can then seek for genuine help or resign.

“Nigeria and Nigerians deserve far better than what we are getting from our governments. Too bad.”