From Yarima Haruna, Birnin Kebbi
The Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammad Samaila Mera, has called on residents of his emirate to legally acquire weapons to protect their communities against persistent attacks by bandits.
The Emir also emphasized the importance of intelligence gathering and information sharing with security agencies, urging communities across the emirate to remain vigilant and take proactive measures against terrorists and criminal elements.
He made the call during a meeting with district heads, village heads, and ward heads at his palace in Argungu on Thursday.
According to the Emir, communities should consider raising funds collectively to purchase legally approved weapons for self-defence.
“If you acquire such weapons legally, make sure the bandits are aware that your community possesses the means to defend itself. This alone can serve as a deterrent and discourage attacks,” he said.
He stressed that Islam does not encourage people to remain helpless in the face of violence.
“It is not right for a Muslim to remain passive while criminals kill people, kidnap innocent citizens, and rape our women. Be prepared to defend yourselves, your families, and your communities against any attack,” the Emir stated.
He lamented that many communities have become vulnerable because they lack the means to defend themselves.
“When bandits attack, people start running, including village heads. This is happening because communities do not have adequate means of self-defence,” he added.
The Emir clarified that he was not encouraging communities to take the law into their own hands or engage in acts of terrorism, but rather advocating lawful self-defence, noting that the security challenge has become too overwhelming for security agencies alone to handle.
He described as disheartening the continued loss of lives in communities without any form of resistance, while warning against ethnic violence and extrajudicial killings.
“I will not support anyone carrying arms to attack other ethnic groups or engage in unlawful killings. Many of the attacks we are witnessing today are reprisals. Therefore, I urge you not to carry out revenge attacks against innocent people. Every unlawful killing only breeds another cycle of revenge,” he warned.
The Emir noted that although many members of the Lakurawa group had left the area, they had allegedly left behind armed bandits who continue to terrorize communities and maintain links with their former collaborators.
He therefore called on communities across the Argungu Emirate to remain vigilant, cooperate with security agencies, and uphold the fear of God in all their dealings.
His call for self defence is coming on the heels of ceaseless attacks and kidnapping by terrorist across the country which has heighten tensions.