Residents of Kebbe Local Government Area in Sokoto State are calling on the Federal Government to allow them to carry arms for self-defence.
The demand follows renewed bandit attacks that have left many dead and displaced several families.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Sokoto, the residents expressed anger over what they described as government abandonment.
Led by Alhaji Adamu Kebbe, the group said the people of Kebbe can no longer endure the constant killings and destruction caused by armed bandits, especially members of the Lakurawa group.
“We can’t sleep with our two eyes closed anymore.
Our communities are being wiped out, and the government is doing little to protect us,” said one resident, Haruna, in an emotional plea.
They accused both state and local authorities of failing to respond swiftly to their distress calls.
The group urged the Federal Government to grant local governments direct funding so that they can equip local security outfits to protect vulnerable communities.
According to them, waiting for military intervention each time attacks occur has cost too many lives.
“If we can’t get protection from the government, then we must be allowed to protect ourselves,” another resident declared.
Sokoto has become one of Nigeria’s most terrorized states, with deadly bandit groups such as the Lakurawas and the notorious Bello Turji gang operating freely across Kebbe, Isa, and Sabon Birni areas.
Although the state government has acknowledged the growing threat, residents say its response has been weak and uncoordinated.
The rising insecurity has crippled farming and forced several villages into displacement camps.
Security experts warn that the renewed call for self-defence highlights citizens’ loss of confidence in government protection.
They urge urgent federal intervention to prevent community-driven violence from escalating.
In early September, youths from Shagari Local Government Area issued a similar threat to take up arms following repeated attacks and kidnappings.
Former Governor Aminu Tambuwal also appealed to the Federal Government to deploy additional troops to Sokoto to restore peace.
The state is also battling a humanitarian crisis caused by widespread displacement and a cholera outbreak among internally displaced persons.
For now, the people of Kebbe say they are left with one painful option — to defend themselves if the government fails to act.