Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, on Thursday, lambasted the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the comment made by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), that Nigerians should defend themselves amid the security challenges in the country.
Yinka Odumakin, said the minister’s comment showed that the President has failed in its constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and properties of citizens.
The defense minister earlier said on Wednesday that, “It is the responsibility of everybody to keep alert and to find safety when necessary”.
The comment generated outrage on social media with many Nigerians calling for the government to licence citizens to bear arms in order to confront criminal elements, especially in the face of increasing bandits’ attacks in almost every part of the country.
Reacting, Odumakin said, “The comment of the defence minister shows that Buhari has failed. Are we supposed to defend ourselves with bare hands when they (criminals) are with guns? Only Fulani herdsmen are carrying AK-47 all over Nigeria today and you are asking us to defend ourselves with bare hands against AK-47?
On the rampant attacks by nomadic herdsmen on host farmers in the South-West region, the Afenifere spokesman said any attempt to seek “ethnic justice” will lead to genocide.
