‘Get Weapons, Defend Yourselves’: Emir of Argungu Tells Communities to Stop Fleeing Bandits — Says Silence of Leaders is Complicity
‘Get Weapons, Defend Yourselves’: Emir of Argungu Tells Communities to Stop Fleeing Bandits — Says Silence of Leaders is Complicity
The Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammad Mera, has made a blunt and striking call for communities ravaged by banditry and kidnapping to arm themselves for self-defence, warning that the scale of insecurity has overwhelmed security forces and that continued passivity in the face of attacks amounts to cultural and moral failure.
Speaking in a trending video obtained and translated by TimesNG, the Emir issued one of the most direct public statements by a traditional ruler on the crisis of banditry that has engulfed Nigeria’s North-West, urging communities to unite, organise, and make arrangements to protect themselves — including the acquisition of weapons.
“Our leadership needs to know what is happening. We must unite as one, and every community should make arrangements to defend itself, including purchasing weapons for self-defence,” the Emir said.
“Self-defence is not a crime, and we all know this. Our security forces have become overwhelmed by the scale of this insecurity.” — Emir of Argungu
NOT A CALL TO VIOLENCE — A CALL TO SURVIVAL
The Emir was careful to frame his statement not as an incitement but as a proportionate response to an existential threat. Women and girls, he noted, are being kidnapped and sexually violated, property is being destroyed, and communities are being forced to scatter into the bush at the approach of attackers — while security forces struggle to respond.
“Let me be clear: I am not saying we should use these weapons to cause havoc, but solely for self-defence. Our security forces have become overwhelmed by the scale of this insecurity. Self-defence is not a crime, and we all know this,” he said.
He invoked both religion and culture as the foundation of his argument, rejecting the passivity he said had come to define community responses to attacks. “Our religion and culture do not allow us to sit back and watch people kidnap our wives and children or destroy our property. Self-defence has become necessary. The cowardice we display is not part of our culture. If we make these arrangements, we will not have to flee to the bush whenever attackers come to town.”
HUMAN LIFE HAS BECOME VALUELESS
The Emir did not spare the broader leadership environment, warning that those in positions of authority in affected areas would be held accountable — before God and man — for the communities under their care.
“In this period, human life has become valueless. I call on all those in leadership positions in the affected areas to be up and doing. As leaders, we will be held accountable for those under our care, and we will answer accordingly,” he said.
TRADITIONAL RULERS: SILENCE IS COMPLICITY
In a pointed message to his fellow traditional rulers, the Emir challenged them to move beyond ceremonial condemnation and use their voices as instruments of advocacy and pressure on relevant authorities.
“As traditional leaders, your condemnation must come from the heart. We know it is not your direct responsibility to take action, but you can speak out to other authorities so that these issues can be resolved. Silence is complicity,” he stated.
The Emirate of Argungu, one of the most prominent traditional institutions in Kebbi State and the broader North-West region, is located in an area that has faced repeated security challenges in recent years. The Emir’s remarks reflect a growing frustration among traditional leaders with the pace and adequacy of the government’s security response — and represent an unusually frank public break from the measured language that has historically characterised traditional rulers’ public statements on insecurity.
His comments are expected to reignite debate about the legal and policy boundaries of civilian self-defence in Nigeria, where the acquisition of certain categories of weapons by civilians remains restricted under federal law, even as communities in the North-West continue to suffer escalating attacks.
By TimesNG