(Daniel Bwala. Photo Credit: Businessday)
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has assured Nigerians that the government is committed to putting an end to the killings taking place across the country.
Bwala made the remarks during an appearance on an online television programme on Wednesday, responding to the attack on a community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where gunmen invaded LA Primary School on Friday and abducted teachers and pupils.
He acknowledged the pain and frustration of Nigerians over recurring attacks, saying that no matter how much the government expresses regret, people will continue to mourn as long as lives are being lost.
However, he expressed confidence that with collective participation and shared intelligence from the public, an end to the violence was achievable.
Bwala also noted that insecurity tends to rise around election periods, suggesting that some individuals take advantage of the instability for economic and political reasons.
He called on Nigerians to come together as a people to confront the situation.
On the matter of self defence, Bwala stated that the Nigerian constitution guarantees every citizen the right to defend themselves, including the use of lethal force when faced with a life-threatening situation in their own home.
He added that Nigerians also have the right to organise themselves collectively into vigilante groups and apply to the government for the authority to coordinate community defence efforts, pointing to the example of paramilitary organisations in Borno State that provide intelligence to law enforcement agencies.