The Chairman of the Presidential
Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, has backed the
advice by a former Minister of Defence and an elder statesman, Lt. Gen.
Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.) that Nigerians should defend themselves against
killers.
Recall that Danjuma had on
Saturday at the convocation of Taraba State University called on Nigerians to
use whatever means at their disposal to defend themselves against killers.
Reacting, Sagay told The Nation
on Sunday that the law allows Nigerians to defend themselves from being
massacred.
He, however, urged the Federal
Government to investigate Danjuma’s allegations.
“General Danjuma did not say that
the military is incapable. But he accused them of bias and not protecting the
people deliberately. That’s a very, very serious accusation.
“And this is coming from such a
senior man in Nigeria’s military – probably apart from former General Olusegun
Obasanjo and General Yakubu Gowon, he (Dajuma) is the most senior former
military officer we have – and he’s a man who has tremendous influence.
“He has held important positions
– chief of staff, minister of defence – so, he won’t speak lightly. So, his
allegation needs to be investigated.
“If there are elements within the
military doing this, then the government has to take immediate steps to deal
with them and put people who are responsible and patriotic in the positions.”
Asked whether resorting to
self-defence by Nigerians would not result in anarchy, he said: “That’s an
interesting point. It’s a point I’ve always made myself. It’s not an illegal
measure for Nigerians to defend themselves. If you look at our criminal law,
there is the principle of self-defence.
“If someone attacks you, and you
feel endangered, and you defend yourself, and in the process you kill the
person, the fact that you were defending yourself is a complete defence to any
charge. The right already exists.
“So, I think what General Danjuma
is saying is that instead of each individual exercising that right, they should
begin to exercise it collectively in their communities. I think that’s
reasonable too.
“There is breakdown of law and
order if you’re in your house and someone comes and kills you. I think there
will be less danger of breakdown of law and order if that person knows that the
next time he comes to your house, all your neighbours would gather and stop
him.
“So, I think it’s worse for
people to lie down complacently doing nothing while they’re being massacred,”
Sagay said.
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