Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, on Thursday, blasted the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, over the comment credited to his Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), who said that Nigerians should defend themselves if they’re not cowards.
National Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin, who granted an interview to newsmen said the minister’s comment only exposes the failure of the President in performing his constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives and properties of citizens.
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Africa Daily News had earlier reported that the minister on Wednesday said, ‘It is the responsibility of everybody to keep alert and to find safety when necessary. But we shouldn’t be cowards.
‘At times, the bandits will only come with about three rounds of ammunition, when they fire shots everybody runs. In our younger days, we stand to fight any aggression coming for us.’
The comment generated outrage on social media with many Nigerians calling for the government to licence citizens to bear arms in order to confront criminal elements, especially in the face of increasing bandits’ attacks in almost every part of the country.
Reacting, Odumakin said, ‘The comment of the defence minister shows that Buhari has failed. Are we supposed to defend ourselves with bare hands when they (criminals) are with guns? Only Fulani herdsmen are carrying AK-47 all over Nigeria today and you are asking us to defend ourselves with bare hands against AK-47?
‘The token from that statement is that we (Buhari regime) have failed, we can no longer defend you. That was what he (Magashi) was telling us.’
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK