By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has advised security agencies and both Federal and State governments to live up to the expectations of the citizens by ensuring their protection.

PANDEF Spokesperson Mr Ken Robinson spoke while reacting to the statement by the
Chief of Army Staff COAS that allowing Nigerians not to carry arms to defend themselves would amount to Anarchy.

His words;: “The truth of the matter is that the primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of the citizens..and anytime that it appears that the State is failing to protect the lives and property of the citizens the option that may be left to the citizens is Self-defense.

“And we (Nigerians) are beginning to toe that path given by the number of Vigilante Groups that have been set up by various State Governments like the Amotekun in the South West states.

“And here in the South-South PANDEF also did a Blueprint on Regional security presented to the Governors since November 2020. And there are other groups like that in the North West, and North East.

“So we are going towards the direction where Citizens would be forced to defend themselves by securing arms for Self-defense.

“So if the Chief of Army Staff is saying that if citizens begin to bear arms to defend themselves will lead to Anarchy, then government should wake up and live up to expectation and ensure that citizens are protected.

“What is going on in Plateau state, and places other like Zamfara and parts of Kaduna given terrorists actions is unacceptable and it must stop. The security agencies, Federal and State governments must redouble their efforts to ensure that lives and property of citizens are adequately protected so that we can sleep with our two eyes closed. Otherwise the last resort would be that the citizens will have to defend themselves”

The PANDEF spokesperson advocated for massive recruitment even of more personnel into the Police, and however kicked against recruitment of repentant Boko Haram members saying, “We understand now that some Boko Haram repentants are being recruited into the Army, that is a terrible mistake that government is making.

“We have said it before that recruiting repentant Boko Haram members into the Nigerian Army is completely unacceptable”