An influential traditional ruler in northwestern Nigeria’s Kebbi state urged residents this Friday to buy weapons for self-defense against rampant criminal gangs.
Samaila Muhammad Mera, the prominent Emir of Argungu, told local chiefs that the government is currently overwhelmed by the worsening insecurity.
Parts of Kebbi state face sporadic, deadly attacks from non-ideological bandits and the Lakurawa militant group aligned with Sahel militants.
These ruthless criminal networks frequently kidnap highway travelers, raid vulnerable villages, abduct residents, and burn looted homes to the ground.
The Emir explicitly instructed his community chiefs to pool public funds to stockpile arms, even if defending their properties requires making the ultimate sacrifice.
Traditional rulers in Nigeria lack constitutional power and rely heavily on regional funding, yet they retain immense cultural influence over their subjects.
Mera remains the most celebrated monarch in the region, famous for hosting the globally recognized, UNESCO-listed Argungu annual fishing festival.
Due to persistent regional insecurity and severe funding shortages, this massive tourist attraction has been reduced to an occasional celebration.
Frustrated by incessant raids, numerous agricultural and herding communities across northern Nigeria have previously formed independent, local vigilante groups.
However, these vigilantes frequently face accusations of executing extrajudicial killings, which triggers bloody cycles of tit-for-tat reprisal attacks by bandits.
The Emir’s urgent plea mirrors past controversial calls from other northern leaders who previously demanded citizens arm themselves against ongoing banditry.