Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

News

Sagay Backs Danjuma’s Comment on Self-Defence, Says it is Guaranteed Under the Law

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, has 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.

Danjuma had on Saturday at the convocation of Taraba State University called on Nigerians to use whatever means at their disposal to defend themselves against killers.

Reacting to the development, Sagay told The Nation on Sunday that the law allows Nigerians to defend themselves from being massacred.

He, however, urged the Federal Government to investigate Danjuma’s allegations.

“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 resorting 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.

_________

Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng

Copyright 2018 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Related

News

The chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Thursday, said the...

News

The President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has warned against misinformation, stating that a former Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon,...

News

President Muhammadu Buhari is in an emergency meeting with former leaders and Security Chiefs. Though the agenda is yet to be disclosed, the impromptu...

News

Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has said Nigeria is “overwhelmed” by corruption. But he assured that the...

Copyright ©