Former Defence Minister Theophilus Danjuma has issued a stark warning to Nigerians, urging citizens to take up self-defence in the face of escalating kidnappings and killings across the country.
Speaking at an event on Saturday in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, Mr Danjuma lamented the worsening security situation, declaring that government efforts alone are insufficient to combat the growing threats.
“I know we have a lot of problems, including security, as recently as two or three days ago,” Mr Danjuma said. “We have experienced kidnapping. The threat of kidnapping will continue until we, every one of us, rise up and defend ourselves.”
Reiterating an earlier warning he gave in Wukari years ago, the retired general said, “It is quite clear the government alone cannot do it. I warned a very long time ago… that our people must be prepared to defend themselves. That warning is as valid today as it was when I made it.”
Mr Danjuma, who has long been vocal about Nigeria’s security crisis, previously accused the country’s armed forces of bias during a 2018 speech at Taraba State University, Jalingo. “They collude with the armed bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians,” he alleged at the time.
The renewed call for self-defence comes amid a wave of violent attacks across Nigeria. In recent weeks, more than 150 people have been killed in states including Borno, Benue, Plateau, and Zamfara. Plateau alone has seen over 100 deaths in the past fortnight, while Benue recorded more than 50 fatalities in recent attacks.
Also weighing in on the crisis, Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, in his Easter homily, painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation.
“Every day, innocent citizens are kidnapped and held under the most inhuman conditions,” Bishop Kukah said. “Mr President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue. With a greater sense of urgency, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil.”
As insecurity continues to ravage communities, voices like Danjuma’s and Kukah’s reflect a growing sense of frustration and urgency among Nigerians demanding safety and justice.
