Many times on a daily basis we hear on our Radio and we see on our Television and every other social media platforms of countless killings by people whom the Government tagged as ‘Bandits, killer herdsmen, even Boko-Haram’. And when those who are attacked wants to defend themselves, the Government will come up with excuses that it is not in their power to do so. The people will relax for the Government to protect them but the killing keep happening on a daily basis and the Government keeps giving same lame excuses. And this has been going on for years leading to some villages nearing extinction.
The ultimate question is can the citizen defend themselves when the Government fails to do so? Before answering this question, it is pertinent to look at the provision of section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 constitution as Amended, which is to the effect that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of Government”; it is glaring that the constitution uses the word of command ‘shall’ which is not derogable, and when the Government fails to achieve or provide same then the Government is unfit to be called a Government.
It is on this Note I say the Government has been in breach of the provision of the constitution which is the Grundnorm of the Land, the Government fail to realized that ‘security’ as stated in section 14(2)(b) is devoid of party promise or manifesto and even political propaganda. Section 14(2)(a) provides that ‘sovereignty belongs to the people from which the Government this constitution derives its power’ since the people are the ultimate source of power and they use such power to elect officials to represent their interest, when such officials fails to do so then, the people will take back their power. If the government cannot protect us, then we must protect ourselves.
Chapter 4 of the constitution list rights that Government cannot tamper with except with due process, right to life as the most important of all the rights is only enjoyable where there is security of life, and there is a both duty and obligation on the Government to protect it. Let’s look under criminal law to support the position why the citizen need to defend themselves, under criminal law one can defend himself against an aggressor, as such going be this I can say whenever there is threat to life or apprehension of fear which will lead to loss of life then the citizen can or must defend themselves under the grounds of self defence.
My fellow compatriots it is no longer new that our leaders only care for themselves and their looted resources, human interest is not in their agenda, Animals and material wealth’s are more valuable than Humans. The Government has failed in its primary duty which is Security, we must all rise above; religion, ethnicity, tribalism and regionalism and come together to protect the sacred thing God has given us which is LIFE. When you are attacked defend yourselves and if possible arrest the perpetrators of those crime and hand them over to a lawful Authority then hold the authority accountable.
Nigeria was once a peace loving nation, we can still be that again.
#This is dedicated to the people who lost their lives in the Jos crisis and the entire Nations.
From Onu Gomina
