On October 18, 2021, Campus Reporters published a story titled, “With ₦3,500, Sokoto Residents Buy Locally-made Guns, as Insecurity Spikes In Nigeria’s Northwest”, which one Abiodun Jamiu investigated and wrote.
In Nigeria, many mistakes are being made, many selfishness and I don’t care attitude are being displayed which is the reason we are in our current ever hardest time. Nigeria adopts things easily. We’ve reached a level where if not all most Nigerians want quick money, “one time millionaire”
Many people may own a gun for the reason of insecurity, to safeguard themselves from the terrorists but how many people will be willing to surrender their guns to the government when peace is restored? How many people will throw away their guns when there is no more reason to safeguard their community? These are questions we all should ask ourselves.
It is high time the government intervened and stopped those terrorists which are tagged as bandits from kidnapping and killing innocent people. The government needs to act fast so as to give the people what they want, which is peace.
A hungry man who is at the same time an angry man with a gun will be capable of doing anything, and not even the government officials can escape this “Anything”. Often
times some Nigerians take laws into their hands even without guns; imagine them with guns. Some Nigerians break into citizens’ houses to collect money from people with knife and sticks, imagine such people with the privilege of holding guns!
If holding guns has become the norm in Nigeria, then surely Somalia will be a child’s play compared to what Nigeria will be like.
In Jamiu’s report it was stated that so far Nigeria has the highest illegal gun holders in West Africa with 70 per cent of the 10 million illegal guns in Nigeria.
The likes of retired Gen TY Danjuma, Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state call on citizens to protect themselves. They may have their reasons, and it could be linked to the government’s failure to protect citizens.
If those at the right position fail to secure Nigeria, Nigeria will be lost and we all will lose everything.
Nigerian government should stand and take drastic action to fight terrorists without fear or favour for those involved or sponsoring the barbaric act.
Wadzani Apagu
