In the light of the escalating state of insecurity and obvious helplessness of Nigeria’s security agencies, a security chieftain, Mr. Matthew Ibadin has called for the establishment of Community Self-Defence Commission to enable communities position themselves towards forming the first line of defense in the current situation.
He posited that by creating such Commission and mandating it to coordinate activities of local communities towards fighting criminality at the grassroot level, the current situation of high insecurity would be curbed as criminals are easier identified within the local communities.
According to Mr. Ibadin, who is currently the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Badinson Security Limited, Lagos in a statement on Friday, the proposed Community Self-defense Commission should be designed to empower communities to defend themselves responsibly during attacks.
He stated that the Commission should make it possible for communities to create and operate their structures independently, with financial contributions sourced from within the local populace, as well as from community members residing in cities across Nigeria and the diaspora and collaboration with the government.
Mr. Ibadin emphasized that this call is a matter of urgent necessity, borne out of the increasing number of cases where vulnerable Nigerians are attacked, raped, or murdered while farming or residing in their ancestral lands.
“We can no longer stand by and watch our mothers, fathers, and children being slaughtered in the forests and on farmlands. This call is about defeating the invaders who encroach on others’ community land,” he emphasised.
He stated further that selected community defenders, after undergoing proper screening and training—should be legally permitted to bear arms, including AK-47 rifles, for the sole purpose of community defense, adding that the rules of engagement should be designed to eliminate unregulated access to local lands by external actors who are invaders.
The Badinson Security boss clearly stated that no individual or group should be permitted to hunt or graze on any community land without express consent. “If you want to hunt and graze, do it in your community. The era of invading others’ lands and slaughtering innocent persons must end now,” he said firmly.
In addition, he called for direct support and recognition by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he urged the National Assembly, to urgently give legislative bite to the proposed commission with a view to legalising the Commission. He also advocated the inclusion of traditional rulers in the scheme as they are major stakeholders towards ensuring security in their domain.
According to him, the call offers a scalable and community-rooted solution to reduce the pressure on federal security agencies, while promoting peace and local control.
He added that the commission should be headed by a seasoned security expert and the Board of Directors should also constitute personalities with unquestionable pedigree, just as he emphasised that members of the Board should not be serving or retired law enforcement personnel with interest in political office.
He emphasized that since the dawn of democracy in 1999, no elected president has taken the bull by the horns to ensure that these invaders are punished or flushed out. He then urged the president to set aside party partisanship to stop the shedding of innocent blood and to set up a special tribunal for the prosecution of these offenders with trial and judgment on cases delivered within six months.
He recommended that offences like kidnapping farm destruction, invasion of communities etc should be handled by a Special Tribunal as the aforementioned cases should be treated as emergencies.
Furthermore, Mr. Ibadin advised that politics which is more of a vocation should be separated from security generally perceived as a profession.
He was quick to clarify in his statement that this call should not be misconstrued as a call for what he described as vigilantism. “Rather, it is a complementary measure aimed at reinforcing state authority and protecting human dignity at the grassroots. The presence of armed defenders in each community will serve as a deterrent, while the goal is to protect” he noted.
He concluded by emphasizing that “it is highly overdue for communities to be involved in their security matters because crime is local.”
