Former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), has urged Nigerians to defend themselves against bandits and criminals.
Speaking on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at a public event in Takum, Taraba State, Danjuma said the recent k!llings in Benue, Plateau, and other parts of Nigeria have further demonstrated that the government cannot be solely relied upon to protect citizens.
He said his warning from five years ago remains relevant amid the growing wave of insecurity across the country.
“The warning I gave some years ago is still as valid today as it was then. Nigerians must rise and defend themselves. We cannot continue to sit and watch while bandits, terrorists, and criminal gangs massacre our people unchecked,” he said.
Danjuma, who hails from Takum, lamented what he described as the government’s inability to provide adequate security, stressing that the time had come for communities to take proactive steps in protecting their lives and properties.
“It is now very clear that the government alone cannot protect us. We must stand up and defend ourselves, our families, and our lands before these criminals overrun the entire country,” he added.