As insecurity grows across Nigeria, here are 10 things ordinary people can do to defend themselves 

Ayo Akinfe 

(1) I think we will all agree that waiting on the federal government to solve all our security issues is an exercise in futility. We all know that in many instances the government actually sponsors some of these groups as it needs a private army to clamp down on political opponents. It is thus time to come up with a national self defence plan 

(2) We all saw how Department of State Security officials were ferrying thugs around during the #Endsars protest, getting them to beat up protesters. If they have their militia, it is time we have similar self-defence committees in each of our 774 local government areas 

(3) When the communications minister is an Al-Queida sympathiser with the full support of the presidency, it is naive to expect the security forces to clamp down on bodies like Macban. If we want to rid our communities of armed Fulani herdsmen, we simply have to do it ourselves 

(4) When I look at Sudan and see how the government used the Janjaweed militia to do its dirty work, I can see what is coming in Nigeria. We will get to a stage whereby the professional military refuses to obey obnoxious orders, so the government will call on its private armies like Macban to do its dirty work. We need to ensure that there are more of us than them, so now is the time to start recruiting 

(5) This is a photograph of an English pillar box, which is the symbol of British resistance to German occupation during World War Two. They are everywhere along the coast of southern England. Most of them were actually manned by Home Guard volunteers. How many Nigerians are prepared to do this?

(6) I am glad that this process has become with the formation of self-defence groups like Amotekun. I just hope the Eastern Security Network and Ebubeagu can set aside their differences and join forces too as the issue at hand calls for unity 

(7) In northern Nigeria, I would like to see the creation of a body called Fulanis Against Armed Herdsmen. This should be a volunteer group prepared to take on these murderous herdsmen whenever they claim to be “fighting for northerners” or “defending Islam.” As we all know, they are hired groups armed by politicians to act as nothing but their private armies 

(8) At the next meeting of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, a resolution should be passed mandating every local government chairman to set up a neighbourhood watch scheme. These bodies can supply the likes of Amotekun and Ebubeagu with volunteers 

(9) We also need to train local people on acts of sabotage as happened in Europe during World War Two. Wherever these armed terrorists, bandits, herdsmen, etc are operating, people need to know how to poison wells, block roads, blow up bridges, adulterate petrol, etc. Anything to inhibit their movement 

(10) Over the long term, we are veering towards local policing. From what I can see, these local militia groups will metamorphosise into state police units. We need to start thinking of checking measures to prevent state governors turning them into private armies