Danjuma’s call: Law allows Nigerians to defend themselves from attacks – Sagay

Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC)
chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) on Sunday said the law allows
Nigerians to defend themselves from being massacred.

He 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.

Sagay urged the Federal Government to investigate Danjuma’s
allegations that the armed forces were not neutral.

According to him, the allegation that the armed forces guide the
bandits to kill people and cover them up were “serious”.

Sagay said: “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 resort 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.

Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC)
chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) on Sunday said the law allows
Nigerians to defend themselves from being massacred.

He 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.

Sagay urged the Federal Government to investigate Danjuma’s
allegations that the armed forces were not neutral.

According to him, the allegation that the armed forces guide the
bandits to kill people and cover them up were “serious”.

Sagay said: “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 resort 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.