Self Defence: Masari Says Governors Are Chief Security Officers Only In Name

Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina, has described the assertion
that state governors were the chief security officers of their
states as ceremonial, stating that since security was on the
exclusive list of the 1999 Constitution, it is a federal government
responsibility.

According to Mr Masari, “In matters of security, a governor is
the Chief Security Officer of his state only in name, because the
various security chiefs working in the state take orders not from
him, but from their superiors in Abuja.

“The only things they take from governors are the financial and
material assistance (both solicited and unsolicited), which they
extend to the security institutions in the states.”

Mr Masari was responding to a call by the state’s chapter of the
Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) for his resignation over his
stance on self defence against bandits.

In a statement by his director general on media, Abdul Labaran,
on Sunday in Katsina, Mr Masari said the call for his resignation
for urging people to resist bandits by acquiring arms for self
defence, “betrays a sheer lack of the understanding of the letter
and spirit as well as the workings of the Nigerian
Constitution.”

The governor had told Nigerians some days ago to “pray” and “buy
guns” to defend themselves against armed bandits and other
terrorising criminals.

“We must all rise up to counter the insecurity challenge, we
must not sit and watch some people buying guns attacking our
houses, we too should buy the guns and protect ourselves,” Mr
Masari said.

This was after he charged “cowardly” citizens sometime in July
not to wait for the government but deploy their teeth in
self-defence against bandits.

Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina, has described the assertion
that state governors were the chief security officers of their
states as ceremonial, stating that since security was on the
exclusive list of the 1999 Constitution, it is a federal government
responsibility.

According to Mr Masari, “In matters of security, a governor is
the Chief Security Officer of his state only in name, because the
various security chiefs working in the state take orders not from
him, but from their superiors in Abuja.

“The only things they take from governors are the financial and
material assistance (both solicited and unsolicited), which they
extend to the security institutions in the states.”

Mr Masari was responding to a call by the state’s chapter of the
Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) for his resignation over his
stance on self defence against bandits.

In a statement by his director general on media, Abdul Labaran,
on Sunday in Katsina, Mr Masari said the call for his resignation
for urging people to resist bandits by acquiring arms for self
defence, “betrays a sheer lack of the understanding of the letter
and spirit as well as the workings of the Nigerian
Constitution.”

The governor had told Nigerians some days ago to “pray” and “buy
guns” to defend themselves against armed bandits and other
terrorising criminals.

“We must all rise up to counter the insecurity challenge, we
must not sit and watch some people buying guns attacking our
houses, we too should buy the guns and protect ourselves,” Mr
Masari said.

This was after he charged “cowardly” citizens sometime in July
not to wait for the government but deploy their teeth in
self-defence against bandits.