The Federal Government has dismissed the calls by some state governors including Samuel Ortom of Benue and Aminu Masari of Katsina, some individuals and organisations, that people should defend themselves against bandits.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammed Dingyadi, on Tuesday in Abuja during the 2nd annual media briefing at Force headquarters, said the government was not in support of citizen self-defence as proposed, saying Ortom, Masari and others are entitled to their opinions.
Dingyadi said, “I think we should know that we are in Nigeria, where everybody is entitled to his opinion. I think the governor has the right to canvass for what he thinks is right in his state.’’
The minister, however, justified the calls if it is based on community policing strategies in order to improve the security of the communities.
He also stressed that the challenge presented by the bandits was the guerilla warfare strategy of a hit-and-run which the armed forces were determined to contain.
