The Emir of Argungu, Muhammad Samaila Mera, has urged residents of his emirate to lawfully acquire arms to defend themselves against escalating bandit attacks.
The monarch made the call during a security meeting with district, village and ward heads at his palace in Argungu, Argungu, stressing the need for communities to take proactive steps to safeguard lives and property.
Mera advised that communities could collectively raise funds to procure legally approved weapons, noting that the mere knowledge that residents are armed could serve as a deterrent to criminal elements.
“If such weapons are acquired legally, let it be known that your community can defend itself. That alone can discourage attacks,” he said.
The royal father decried what he described as growing vulnerability among rural communities, attributing it to their inability to resist heavily armed bandits.
According to him, many residents, including traditional leaders, are often forced to flee during attacks due to lack of means of defence.
“It is not right for people to remain helpless while criminals kill, abduct and violate innocent citizens. Communities must be prepared to defend themselves and their families,” he added.
The emir, however, clarified that his directive did not amount to endorsing lawlessness, insisting that any form of self-defence must be within the ambit of the law.
He warned residents against using arms for ethnic attacks or engaging in extrajudicial killings, stressing that reprisals often fuel a cycle of violence.
“Every unlawful killing breeds another revenge. We must avoid targeting innocent people under any guise,” he cautioned.
Mera also raised concerns over lingering security threats in the area, alleging that remnants of the Lakurawa group, though largely dislodged, had left behind armed collaborators who continue to terrorise communities.
He called for stronger collaboration between residents and security agencies, urging citizens to remain vigilant and uphold moral values in the face of persistent insecurity.
The emir’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the capacity of security forces to effectively curb banditry across parts of northern Nigeria, with many communities increasingly resorting to self-help measures.
