• Latest
  • Trending
Don’t Be Cowards, Stand Up to Bandits, Defence Minister Tells Nigerians

Nigeria’s Defence Minister under Fire over Call for Self-defence

February 19, 2021
Leicester 1-3 Arsenal: Willian, Pepe Impress in Away Win 

Leicester 1-3 Arsenal: Willian, Pepe Impress in Away Win 

February 28, 2021
Is Sephora Making the Right Decision Expanding in 2021?

Is Sephora Making the Right Decision Expanding in 2021?

February 28, 2021
ARISE NEWSDAY

ARISE NEWSDAY

February 28, 2021
Schoolgirls Abducted in Nigeria’s Northwestern Zamfara State Released

Schoolgirls Abducted in Nigeria’s Northwestern Zamfara State Released

February 28, 2021
Morning Show

Morning Show

February 28, 2021
Two Reported Dead, Many Hurt as Myanmar Police Fire at Protesters

Two Reported Dead, Many Hurt as Myanmar Police Fire at Protesters

February 28, 2021
How Kagara Schoolboys, Others were Released

How Kagara Schoolboys, Others were Released

February 28, 2021
Popular Nigerian Music Producer Dr Frabz Reportedly Shot Dead in the US   

Popular Nigerian Music Producer Dr Frabz Reportedly Shot Dead in the US  

February 28, 2021

Released Kagara Schoolboys Went Through ‘Tremendous Torture’ in Captivity, Niger Governor Bello Says

February 28, 2021
Buhari ‘Disgusted’ By CNN, BBC Coverage of #EndSARS Protests

Buhari Tells Nigerian School Owners to Scale Up Security    

February 28, 2021
Nigeria: Northern Leaders Call for Prosecution of Criminal Herdsmen

Nigeria Government No Longer Able to Protect Nigerians, Says Northern Elders Forum    

February 28, 2021
US Calls on African Union to Exert Pressure Over Worsening Crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray

US Calls on African Union to Exert Pressure Over Worsening Crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray

February 28, 2021
Second Former Aide Accuses Cuomo of Sexual Harassment

Second Former Aide Accuses Cuomo of Sexual Harassment

February 28, 2021
Archaeologists Unearth Intact Ancient Roman Chariot Near Pompeii

Archaeologists Unearth Intact Ancient Roman Chariot Near Pompeii

February 28, 2021
Nigeria Threatens Second Lockdown Over Low Compliance with Covid-19 Protocols

Nigeria Takes Delivery of About 4m Covid Vaccines on Monday

February 28, 2021
US Approves Single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine

US Approves Single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine

February 28, 2021
ARISE Newsnight

ARISE Newsnight

February 27, 2021
Kano Governor Ganduje’s Aide Arrested After Calling on President Buhari to Resign

Nigeria: Kano Governor Ganduje Sacks Aide Who Criticised President Buhari

February 27, 2021
Man City 2-1 West Ham: Ruben Dias, John Stones Earn 20th Win in a Row

Man City 2-1 West Ham: Ruben Dias, John Stones Earn 20th Win in a Row

February 27, 2021
Viral Video of Instagram Spoof of Stock Markets

Viral Video of Instagram Spoof of Stock Markets

February 27, 2021
ARISE NEWSDAY

ARISE NEWSDAY

February 27, 2021
Exclusive Review of Zenith Bank’s 2020 Financial Performance with the Group Managing Director/CEO

Exclusive Review of Zenith Bank’s 2020 Financial Performance with the Group Managing Director/CEO

February 27, 2021
IATA: Aviation Industry Won’t Be Cash Positive Until 2022

IATA: Aviation Industry Won’t Be Cash Positive Until 2022

February 27, 2021
Morning Show

Morning Show

February 27, 2021
UN Supports Nigeria’s Economic Sustainability Plan with $250m   

UN Says 317 Schoolgirls Abducted in Nigeria’s Northwestern Zamfara State Must Be Released Unconditionally

February 27, 2021
Biden Raises Election Meddling With Putin in First Phone Call

Biden: Strikes in Syria Sent Warning to Iran to ‘Be Careful’

February 27, 2021
Tiger Woods Taken to Hospital After Being Injured in Los Angeles Car Crash 

Car Crash: Tiger Woods ‘in Good Spirits’ after Latest Treatment

February 27, 2021
Documentary Investigates Jamal Khashoggi’s Murder Two Years After Killing

Saudi Arabia Rejects US Intel Report on Khashoggi’s Murder

February 27, 2021
Covid-19: Nigeria Records New High  as Confirmed Cases Pass 1000 Mark

Covid-19 Triggered Rapid Investment in Nigeria’s Health Security, Disease Control Boss Says

February 27, 2021
Katsina Schoolboys’ Kidnapping: Insecurity Prompts Nearby Zamfara State to Shut Schools 

In Bid to Free Schoolgirls, Zamfara Governor Consults Mastermind of Kankara Abduction  

February 27, 2021
en English
ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchen Englishfr Frenchde Germanit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanish
No Result
View All Result
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Arise News
  • HOME
  • Breaking
  • Global
  • Regional
  • BUSINESS
  • Politics
    • US ELECTION
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • TECH
  • Health
  • VIDEOS
  • Covid-19 Updates
Arise News
  • HOME
  • Breaking
  • Global
  • Regional
  • BUSINESS
  • Politics
    • US ELECTION
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • TECH
  • Health
  • VIDEOS
  • Covid-19 Updates
No Result
View All Result
Arise News
No Result
View All Result
Home Regional

Nigeria’s Defence Minister under Fire over Call for Self-defence

February 19, 2021
Reading Time: 5min
0 0
0
Don’t Be Cowards, Stand Up to Bandits, Defence Minister Tells Nigerians

Bashir Magashi

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday berated the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), for asking Nigerians to defend themselves against bandits.

Magashi, speaking against the backdrop of the abduction of 42 people, including pupils from the Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State, earlier this week, had told reporters in Abuja that the bandits were having a field day because they knew people in communities they attack would not fight back.

He told Nigerians to resist the attacks by bandits and stop running away like cowards.

Reacting, the spokesman of the ACF, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe, said the minister’s comments demonstrated his insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.

He said: “If he was quoted correctly, the minister ought to withdraw it. He also owes Nigerians and particularly, the victims of these terrorists’ acts an apology for such comments are insensitive and demonstrate a complete misinterpretation of our plight as lawful citizens.

“If soldiers armed to defend us are yelling and running helter-skelter from Boko Haram and bandits, what does he expect ordinary unarmed mortals to do?”

The Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of CAN, Rev. Joseph Hayap, slammed Magashi for his comment.

He stated: “The twist of words by many government officials in the past few weeks showed that those in government know what is happening, but do not like it when citizens speak out.

“For example in Kaduna State, the governor who was angry with people for challenging him when he said he paid killer herdsmen to stop killings in Southern Kaduna, is now saying he will not negotiate with bandits, which was the same problem some of us had with his approach.”

He added that if leaders pay attention to what Nigerians are saying, “we will not wait till we have lost many innocent lives to bandit before we start talking about the right thing that ought to have been done.”

He, however, welcomed the self-defence advocacy by many Nigerians, adding that those who made the proposal have been accused by the government of fuelling the crisis.

“Thank God, the Minister of Defence himself is now saying what we have been saying. These bandits are not spirits; our people, therefore, should not wait for police or military whenever these evil groups attack them but instead defend themselves,” Hayab said.

The PDP demanded the sack of the minister for asking unarmed Nigerians to confront and defend themselves against armed aggression by bandits and terrorists.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the party described the statement by the minister as reckless, irresponsible and a confirmation that the Buhari administration has surrendered to outlaws and has no determination to fight them.

PDP said it was unthinkable that a government would describe unarmed victims of armed aggression of terrorists and bandits as “cowards” while those elected and given the necessary resources to defend them hide in the comfort and safety of their offices in Abuja.

“Such disposition to security, a statutory responsibility of government, goes to validate apprehensions that our nation is indeed descending to a failed state under the Buhari presidency, where the government can no longer perform its duties while unarmed citizens are left to confront bandits and warlords,” the party stated.

It said given the silence by the Buhari presidency, it showed that the comment by the minister represented the disposition of Buhari and his security team towards protecting Nigerians.

PDP explained that such statement by the Buhari administration, at the time it ought to be scaling up its security strategies to guarantee the safety of all Nigerians, have been emboldening bandits, terrorists and kidnappers to escalate their atrocities against the compatriots.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has supported the call by the National Assembly for the declaration of a state of emergency on security.

Also, a former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has listed how Nigeria can restructure its security architecture through a bipartisan approach within 10 days.

Secondus, at the inauguration of the party’s electoral committee in Abuja called on the National Assembly to do the right thing that will bring peace and security in the country before, during and after elections.

“We have been overwhelmed in this country with insecurity. I called on the president to wake up. I call on call the federal government to declare a state of emergency on security,” he stated.

Ekweremadu called for a bipartisan approach to addressing the security crisis.

He urged party loyalists, the media, civil society and well-meaning Nigerians to put narrow political, partisan, ethnic, religious and sectional interest aside and seize the opportunity of the ongoing constitution amendment to immediately pull the nation back from the brink.

Chuks Okocha, John Shiklam

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2020 Arise News - Part of the Arise Media Group.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • Breaking
  • Global
  • Regional
  • BUSINESS
  • Politics
    • US ELECTION
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • TECH
  • Health
  • VIDEOS
  • Covid-19 Updates

© 2020 Arise News - Part of the Arise Media Group.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist