Call to bear arms: CDS faults Zamfara governor

THE Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, on Monday, faulted the call by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State instructing people in the state to bear arms to defend themselves against bandits. 

Irabor noted that the call was not right, as the armed forces and other security agencies are there to handle the challenges. 

The CDS made this known while speaking with newsmen on the matter at the opening of the joint exercise for the National Defence College and War Colleges of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, code-named ‘Exercise Grand Nationale’, in Abuja. 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Irabor stated that he was yet to understand the basis for asking the citizens of Zamfara to bear arms. He emphasised that it is the responsibility of the Attorney-General of the Federation to look at the constitution and the laws to see whether the governor has such powers. 

He said, “I believe that it is not the right way to go. 

“Of course, there are actions that members of the security agencies and the armed forces, in particular, the police and other security agencies, are doing to address insecurity in Zamfara and environs. 

“Beyond that, of course, there are other legal issues, other issues of governance, issues that the government could have addressed using the instrumentality of the law that is available for him to bring greater peace and security. 

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• Top 10 Business Ideas In Nigeria You Can Start With 100,000 Naira

• Lunatics Have Taken Over Affairs Of Nigeria ― Obi

• How To Detect Fake Bank Alerts

“But like I said, I do not intend to say much about it, but I believe that the Federal Government, using the Attorney-General, will look at the details of that press release and give further instruction. 

“If what I read is true, I do not also think that the governor has the power to instruct the commissioner of police to issue licences, because the commissioner of police does not have the powers to issue licences.” 

Irabor further declared that the armed forces was only an instrument of policy implementation, adding that it did not take instructions from state governments. 

He said the constitution gives rights and powers only to the Commander-in-Chief for the use of the armed forces. 

He added, “I believe that what we are doing in Zamfara and of course, across the states of the federation, is in deference to the provisions of the constitution. 

“So, we are there because we are there to give support to the civil authority, in this case, the police. 

“We do not need to restate what the issues are that have led to the deployment of military across the country, but then like I said, we are doing the very best to ensure that peace returns to every part of the country.” 

However, the highest decision-making organ of the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, the Aare Ona Kakanfo-In-Council, on Monday supported Matawalle’s call for citizens of the state to bear arms. 

Rising from its quarterly meeting, which held at the Aare Ona Kakanfo palace in Lagos, the council, in a statement signed by the Gbonka Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gboyega Adejumo, urged other governors in the South-West to take a cue from the new development. 

The Yoruba traditional chiefs stated that the South-West can no longer tolerate the activities of terrorists masquerading as bandits and kidnappers killing innocent people at will. 

Adejumo said, “Zamfara State governor has literally opened the eyes of other governors across the country. Taking up arms in self defence is a global practice that should be encouraged, once it is backed by the law for it to serve it purposes. 

“There’s nothing bad if citizens take up arms to defend themselves. That is the normal practice all over the world. We have been raising our voices on the need for Nigerians to secure themselves with whatever they have.” 

The council also lauded the Lagos State government on the ban on Okada riders in some parts of the state. It further implored the South-West governors to allow the South-West Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG) to support operation ‘Amotekun’ in ensuring that the region is safe for residents. 

He said, “Security is a local issue. If the increasing spate of insecurity is to be curbed, therefore, the security network must be strengthening to cater to the security needs of the people of the region. 

“When the issue of insecurity in the country is becoming unbearable, we advocated state police, which is one of the major components of restructuring. 

“We also advised the Federal Government to embrace regionalism as the best option to address all the issues bedeviling the nation. 

“The best solution to the various problems affecting the country is to adopt regionalism, which allows all six federating units to operate independently at their own pace as it was with the 1960 and 1963 constitutions respectively.” 

Additionally, the Aare-InCouncil maintained that the group would continually offer wise counsel to the authorities, noting that the issue of insecurity remains germaine to all and sundry.