Former Defence Minister, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) has reiterated his call for Nigerians to embark on self-defence against non-state actors that have unleashed insecurity in several places nationwide.
He spoke even as the death toll in the attacks by suspected herdsmen against the people of Benue State rose past the 50 mark on Saturday.
The former Minister of Defence restated his call on the people of Taraba State and other Nigerians to defend themselves against the invaders killing people in various communities across the country.
Danjuma spoke in Takum during an occasion he organised to appreciate his members of staff working within the area against the backdrop of renewed and intensified killings in communities in Plateau, Benue, Ondo and several other states across the country.
This makes it the third time that Danjuma, who is also a former Chief of Army Staff, would be counselling Nigerians, particularly his people of Taraba State, to defend themselves against killings, which he described as genocide.
Addressing a large audience, including the Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, and other top government functionaries, who gathered to welcome him to Takum, Danjuma noted that the circumstances that made him to call for self-defence in the past had become worse.
He said: “I once asked you to rise and defend yourselves. I am still repeating it today with more seriousness –rise and defend yourselves. The killers have obtained sophisticated arms; we don’t know where they got the arms. But you people should also seek to get it wherever they get the arms; you must defend yourselves against the killers.
“You should know that they are well-armed to kill you and take over your land. Be ready for them as they are also humans like you.”
Danjuma added that unless the people defended themselves against the killers, authorities were not ready to save their lives.
Also speaking at the occasion, Governor Kefas eulogised Danjuma for his developmental strides in Taraba State and prayed God to continue to bless him with sound health.
Kefas noted that the state has benefitted immensely from Danjuma’s philanthropic gestures, particularly in the areas of health care services, roads infrastructure and economic empowerment and holistic development of the state.
