Northern Elders React As Masari Asks Citizens To Get Guns And Defend Themselves

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has reacted to the call by Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State asking citizens to get weapons to defend themselves and family members from bandits attacks.

Naija News had reported that Masari had urged residents to arise and defend themselves against insecurity as security operatives appear limited.

Masari argued that it is surprising for bandits and criminals to possess guns while law-abiding citizens find it difficult to get guns for self-defence.

He, therefore, 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.

The governor made the submission on Tuesday during a media parley with journalists at the Government House in Katsina.

Reacting to the governor’s statements, NEF spokesman, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, condemned the governor’s idea, saying that Masari shouldn’t have made those statements.

Baba-Ahmed asserted that the use of assorted guns by ordinary citizens in Nigeria was still banned in the country and against the law.

The NEF spokesman, however, asked Masari to lead people who elected him on how and where to acquire, train and use the weapons.

He said: “If indeed the governor had said this as reported, we should expect him to lead people who elected him with advice on how and where to acquire, train and use weapons that are currently banned to the public by the law.

“This crisis of insecurity is taking many casualties, one of the most important being village heads.

“There is a growing vacuum in thinking and leadership that makes for stories such as this to sound almost credible.

“Is it really the case that President Buhari cannot sit with governors and managers of our national security and discuss all the roots, dimensions and solutions to these problems without the temptation to prescribe do-it-yourself solutions?”