By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Presidency has said Nigerians are constitutionally entitled to defend themselves against violent attacks, amid rising insecurity and recent abductions in Oyo State.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, stated this on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television while reacting to the attack on the Esiele community in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Gunmen had reportedly stormed LA Primary School in the community last Friday and abducted teachers and pupils.
Speaking on the incident, Bwala assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to ending killings and violent crimes across the country.
According to him, citizens have the legal right to protect themselves when faced with threats to their lives.
“If you come to my house to try to kill me, any lethal weapon I use to defend myself is guaranteed by the constitution,” he said.
Bwala noted that insecurity tends to escalate around election periods, alleging that some individuals benefit from what he described as a “crisis economy.”
“Every eve of elections in Nigeria from 2014, 2018, 2022, and now 2026, you will see that crisis increases,” he said.
He also encouraged communities to support security agencies through intelligence gathering and local vigilante structures, citing examples of community-based security collaborations in Borno State.
While stressing that Nigerians are not permitted to possess prohibited firearms without approval, Bwala said communities could seek government authorization to organize coordinated local security efforts.
