THE Emir of Argungu, Muhammad Samaila Mera, has called on residents of his emirate to legally acquire weapons to defend their communities against persistent attacks by bandits and other criminal elements.
News Point Nigeria reports that the traditional ruler also urged communities across the emirate to remain vigilant and take proactive measures against terrorists and criminals who frequently invade their areas, stressing that lawful self-defence has become increasingly necessary in the face of growing insecurity.
The monarch made the remarks during a meeting with district heads, village heads and ward heads held at his palace in Argungu.
Addressing the gathering, the Emir said communities should consider pooling resources and raising funds collectively to purchase legally approved weapons for self-defence purposes.
According to him, the mere knowledge that a community possesses lawful means of defending itself could discourage criminals from launching attacks.
“If you acquire such weapons legally, make sure the bandits are aware that your community possesses the means to defend itself. This alone can serve as a deterrent and discourage attacks,” he said.
The Emir stressed that Islam does not encourage people to remain helpless in the face of violence and criminality.
“It is not right for a Muslim to remain passive while criminals kill people, kidnap innocent citizens, and rape our women. Be prepared to defend yourselves, your families, and your communities against any attack,” the monarch stated.
Lamenting the vulnerability of many rural communities, the royal father said a major reason criminals continue to target such areas is the absence of adequate means of self-defence.
“When bandits attack, people start running, including village heads. This is happening because communities do not have adequate means of self-defence,” he said.
The Emir, however, clarified that his comments should not be interpreted as encouragement for communities to take the law into their own hands or engage in unlawful activities.
Rather, he said he was advocating lawful self-defence within the framework of the law, noting that the security challenges confronting many communities have become too overwhelming for security agencies to tackle alone.
He described it as disheartening that communities continue to suffer attacks and lose lives without any form of resistance, while at the same time warning residents against ethnic violence and extrajudicial killings.
The monarch further cautioned that he would not support anyone carrying arms to attack members of other ethnic groups or engage in unlawful killings.
According to him, many violent incidents are often reprisals, and communities must resist the temptation to retaliate against innocent people.
He warned that every unlawful killing only creates another cycle of revenge and deepens insecurity.
The Emir also spoke about the security situation in the area, saying that although many members of the Lakurawa group had reportedly left the region, they allegedly left behind armed bandits who continue to terrorise communities and maintain links with former collaborators.
He therefore called on residents throughout the Argungu Emirate to remain alert, cooperate closely with security agencies and uphold the fear of God in all their dealings.
The traditional ruler emphasized that vigilance, lawful self-defence, community cooperation and respect for the rule of law remain essential in confronting the security challenges facing the emirate and other parts of the country.