When the State Can No Longer Protect Citizens
The directives of Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle to residents of the state, particularly farmers, to acquire weapons for self-defence against terrorists reflect the sorry state of my beloved Nigeria today. The Nigerian state can no longer protect its citizens. The Buhari administration persistently fails the people, with thousands sent to early graves by extremists in the last seven years. According to fatality cases compiled by Beacon Consulting, no fewer than 913 Nigerians were killed by terrorists in May of this year alone. The report revealed further that there were 421 attacks across the country, with 265 abductions during the month in focus. Nigeria has never had it so bad.
Matawalle’s Zamfara remains a killing field, with the terrorists enjoying a free rein in virtually all the local government areas of the state. Blood of innocent people flows daily, with an estimated 6000 killed in the last seven years in this traumatised state. It is equally more painful that security agents have been lethargic in their responses to attacks; distress calls are hardly attended to. I guess that was why a frustrated Matawalle told the state’s police command to issue authorisations to residents who are willing and qualified to obtain guns, to defend themselves against the rampaging terrorists. The unending security failings of the federal government pushed Matawalle to this extreme demand.
The Zamfara State governor, in his directives last Sunday, said his government would distribute 500 forms to each of the 19 emirates in the state for those willing to obtain such self-defence weapons. This governor is planning to recruit additional 200 Community Protection Guards (CPG) in each of the 19 emirates of the state to boost their manpower and capacity to tackle terrorists. There will also be additional paramilitary units across the state in order to properly and effectively reinforce the operations of the state’s community protection guards.
“Government has directed individuals to prepare and obtain guns to defend themselves against the bandits… Government is ready to facilitate people, especially our farmers, to secure basic weapons for defending themselves,” declared Matawalle.
The Zamfara governor has gone further to sign into law, the bill prescribing death penalty for all terrorism offences, including kidnapping. But he had hardly finished signing when the terrorists abducted the pregnant wife of the Chairman, Zamfara State branch of the National Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE), Sanusi Gusau. The woman, Ramatu, who is about nine months pregnant, was abducted from her home in Damba Gusau in the early hours of last Tuesday. They cared less about the fact that the woman was heavily pregnant. The NULGE Chairman said his wife was due to be delivered of the baby, lamenting, “she could give birth anytime from now”. This is the extent that Zamfara State has degenerated.
As much as I admire Matawalle’s declaration that citizens must be allowed to acquire
guns for self-defence, I still believe it is not the way to go. Even if there is no embargo on the issuance of licence for firearms, the police evidently lack the capacity to provide guns to everybody. Besides, what about the abuse that comes with the provision of guns to everybody? The United States and many western countries with liberal policies on gun ownership are struggling with the massive abuse. They are at present battling with gun control.
Matawalle should start thinking along the line of the partially successful Amotekun security network in the South-west instead of talking about arming everybody. Yes, state police is still illegal, but the Zamfara governor can set up a properly-funded, properly-motivated and well-organised security network dominated by experienced hunters. These hunters will operate largely with traditional strength. Amotekun has not been much of a success because wrong people (mostly jobless young men) were largely recruited. My position has always been that only highly skilled hunters and traditional security men should be recruited into the security network. This is the way to go for Matawalle. He should go for very strong hunters; men with capacity to outsmart terrorists holding even AK-47. In Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State, hunters are at present, helping to neutralise terrorists
Similarly, the issue of state police should remain on the front burner and Matawalle should also be pushing for it. I’m surprised that it did not make the list of items on the proposed fifth amendment of the 1999 Constitution. Our lawmakers should be mortified about this. Nigeria must allow state police in order to adequately tackle insecurity in various parts of the country.
The perspective of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu on Matawalle’s call for citizens to arm themselves is instructive. He said the call confirms the pervasive loss of confidence in the current security arrangement in the country.
He remarked: “It signals a situation of near-capitulation on the part of the security agencies centrally controlled by the federal government and portends great danger for the polity. The feeling of despondency is pervasive in the land. We must, however, advise caution.
“The deliberate policy of the federal government to deny exigent regional security outfits the right to bear firearms, when it is evident that the security agencies in the country are overwhelmed and distracted by centrifugal forces, is a major factor, among many, exacerbating the current security challenges in the country.”
Äkeredolu argues that a federal system of government “cannot be administered as if the country is a unitary colony, controlled rigidly at the centre, while the constituent units are treated as mere outposts.”
It is so depressing that security agencies controlled solely by the central government have been overwhelmed by terrorists, yet, the FG is unwilling to listen to talks about state police. For example, the security agencies should be embarrassed that 57 of the passengers abducted by terrorists on March 28 after the bombing of an Abuja-Kaduna train are today 98 days old in the prison of the terrorists, with families and relations frustrated.
Another depressing angle to this raging insecurity is that even security agencies are struggling to defend their own men. For instance, in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, scores of security operatives, including soldiers and policemen were killed by terrorists early this week. In Kaduna State, a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Gyadi Gyadi, who was on the way to his new duty post in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, was abducted last Monday. Security agencies are still searching for him. Similarly, last Wednesday, a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) commander was killed and 16 residents of Sabon Gero (Millennium City) in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State abducted, when terrorists struck early this week.
In this same Kaduna State, a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Vitus Borogo was killed by terrorists on his farm last week. As usual, his killers may never be apprehended.
Back to Matawalle, he was on the podium at a rally in Gusau last year, celebrating his voyage to the APC, saying this step would help end insecurity in Zamfara. The sight was despicable. So, Matawalle, how far now? It was all deceit. There has not been anything in his defection for the traumatised people of Zamfara State as terrorists continue to pummel them. It has not translated into better security for these people. The Zamfara governor should be ashamed of himself.
For me, the defection was just to satisfy Matawalle’s egocentric tendencies. Joining APC states is a waste of time. The failings of the APC governors in the neighbouring states clearly testify to this. The facts and figures are there in terms of security and welfare.
Matawalle compounded the problem in Zamfara State by initially heaping money on Fulani militias in the name of amnesty for the brigands. The terrorists were getting money enough to buy more than the weapons submitted. That’s what Matawalle did for the militias for almost two years; yet, the attacks persisted. This governor pumped huge money into this useless amnesty that encouraged more militias to join the flourishing “business” of killing and kidnapping.
At a point, the kinked Matawalle was justifying lawlessness by the militias. Can you imagine him saying “most of the bandits take up arms due to the injustice to them by some members of the society?” This Zamfara governor was once defending terrorists. A big shame! Well, it seems his brain is experiencing a bit of reset now. Perhaps, the people of Zamfara State can hope for a better tomorrow.