Rising ethnic militia: stakeholders call for self-defence help

Emeka Ibemere

It was former British Prime Minister; Winston Churchill who rallied the British people during the Second World War and called on all the Britons to defend their homes, with assurance that if each and every Briton could defend his or her home, that all the country would be defended.

However, with the security threat concerns in the North-East, North West, including the North Central zones of Nigeria, there are indications that Nigeria is prettily sitting on the keg of gun powdered which required serious security checks.

This is the situation Nigerians may have found themselves in the ongoing militia attacks on the soul of the country as some people have called on Nigerians to rise up to defend themselves in midst of failed national security agencies.

  The recent serial bombings across the entire zones of the north are causing a pain in the polity and stakeholders are worried amidst indifferent approach by several governments at all levels. The emergence of another deadly gang, Ombatse militia in Alaikyo is causing ripples in the North Central as the gang has held the zone down with their recent activities.

The activities of Boko Haram activities are no longer news as they continue to spread deaths in the zones. With the failure of security agencies, Nigeria may have slumped into Churchill’s recommendation. Firing the first salvo was the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Sanusi II, had called on Nigerians to wake up to defend themselves against the terrorist gang, Boko Haram which has in the last five years launched a bloody campaign against Nigerians; killing, and taking over towns and cities.

Sanusi said people must stand forcefully in the face of attack and not abandon their towns, women and children.

“These people”, the Emir stated in Hausa while referring to the Boko Haram, “when they attack towns, they kill boys and enslave girls… People must stand resolute.” “People must not assume that the crisis will not reach their area,” he said. “If it comes, we are asking God to give us fortitude, but if He wishes to take martyrs from amongst us, we should be ready to give our lives.” He said

The Emir also called on the people to make preparation for defence with whatever way possible. “People must not wait for soldiers to protect them. There are even instances where soldiers on ground ran away in the face of attack,” he said.

Nigerians have been called by religious and opinion leaders in Northern Nigeria to rise and face Boko Haram without relying solely on government. It was gathered that such calls inspired the hunters to reclaim Mubi and other cities seized by Boko Haram by hunters

Mr. Sanusi asked hunters and experts in the area of security and defence to use their expertise in the quest for seeking the pleasure of God by employing it to end the current crisis.

On his own, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, former Lagos State Commissioner of police is not happy with the up in arms attitude of the terrorist gangs rising up from the zone against their people. The radical retired police officer endorsed the call by HRH the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi that citizens should be ready to defend themselves against Boko Haram, and Ombatse cult gang and said it’s reasonable, timely and expedient since security agencies under President Goodluck Jonathan cannot defend the people and its time Nigerians would therefore not allow criminals to continue slaughtering. According to the ex-police boss, the renewed violence in Nassarawa state, seen as the cult’s headquarters has resulted in the death of many people.

He regretted that the illegal action of the cult group was caused by the refusal of the federal government to take action on previously attacks by Ombatse militia in Alaikyo in 2013, when the goons slaughtered 74 security operatives, mainly police officers on an assignment by laying ambush before killing them in cold blood.

“The federal government did nothing to bring the perpetrators of the crimes and their sponsors to justice. The unfortunate policy in Nigeria today under Jonathan’s administration is that when one commits a crime and no matter how serious is the offence, he or she gets away with it, especially if the perpetrators are of PDP stock”, Tsav claimed.

“It is the belief of patriotic Nigerians, that if action had been taken against persons who killed the 74 security operatives in 2013, there shouldn’t have been any similar violence in the state again. But the unfortunate thing is that criminals are being protected by politicians”. Tsav accused the ruling party of handling ethnic militias with kid-glove and warned of the consequences.

“Every criminal who registered with PDP automatically obtain immunity from prosecution. Now the other ethnic nationalities in Nassarawa State have resorted to self-help by organising reprisal attack in self defence against the Ombatse murderers”. The retired police officer stated that people are today resorted to self-defence to protect themselves, especially where the state security apparatus have failed to defend the internal territory of the state.

“They are encouraged because hunters in Adamawa State did what soldiers could not do. How did Ombatse terrorists got their 4 Hilux and large quantity of arms and ammunition?” Tsav queried. He believes that self-defence is now the last option since national security has failed.

The right of self-defense when it applies to the defense of another, are also known as alter ego defense, defense of others, or defense of a third person, is the right for civilians acting on their own behalf to engage in a level of violence, called reasonable force or defensive force, for the sake of defending one's own life or the lives of others, including, in certain circumstances, the use of deadly force. But can it be used against a high-power terror group.