In a bold response to the escalating security challenges across Nigeria’s Southwest region, a prominent Islamic group has publicly called on the government to immediately arm local security outfits, including the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun) and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). ​
The group argued that the current security apparatus requires urgent, grassroots reinforcement to effectively combat the sophisticated weaponry deployed by bandits and kidnappers. ​Spokesmen for the organization expressed deep concern over the continuous raids on communities, kidnappings for ransom, and loss of lives.
They asserted that local security operatives, who possess vital intelligence and understand the local terrain, are currently being “sent to a knife fight with guns” due to strict regulations preventing them from carrying high-caliber firearms.
​”We can no longer afford to play defense while our people are slaughtered,” the group statement read. “The only language these bandits understand is strength. It is time to meet their force with force, bullet for bullet.” ​The demand injects fresh urgency into the ongoing national debate surrounding state policing and the decentralization of security in Nigeria.
While Amotekun was established by Southwest governors to complement federal security agencies, their lack of authorization to carry automatic weapons has long been cited by critics as a major limitation. ​The Islamic group highlighted several key arguments in support of their demand.
They argued that the local hunters, OPC members, and Amotekun corps, live in these communities and can navigate difficult forest terrains better than federal troops. Insist that local outfits can deploy rapidly during active raids, cutting down critical response times that often cost lives.
​While the call has resonated with many residents weary of insecurity, it also revives long-standing concerns among policy analysts regarding the proliferation of firearms and the regulation of quasi-security groups. ​The Islamic organization, however, maintained that strict vetting, government oversight, and structured training under the supervision of the military or police could mitigate those risks.
​”We are not calling for anarchy,” the group clarified. “We are calling for organized, legal self-defense. If the state cannot guarantee absolute safety, it must empower the people to defend their own land.” ​As of press time, regional governors and federal security heads have yet to officially respond to the group’s ultimatum.
