Security Expert Rejects Calls for Nigerians to Bear Arms, Says Widespread Gun Ownership “Invites Chaos

A retired military officer and security analyst, Siyaka Nasiru, has warned that allowing Nigerians to carry firearms for self-defence would worsen the country’s insecurity rather than solve it.

Nasiru gave the warning during a live appearance on Adamimogo 105.1 FM, Ibadan, where he addressed the rising public agitation for civilian gun ownership.

Public frustration has deepened following a string of violent attacks and mass abductions across the country. Within just two weeks, more than 490 people have been kidnapped in multiple states, with some communities, such as Eruku in Kwara State, suffering repeated raids. These incidents have amplified citizens’ anger toward what many describe as recycled government assurances that rarely translate into improved security.

Despite this growing anxiety, Nasiru maintained that arming ordinary Nigerians would amount to a dangerous misstep.

“Carrying arms is illegal and exposes citizens to even greater harm,” he said. “Self-defence begins with vigilance, sharing intelligence, reporting suspicious movements, and cooperating with security agencies.”

His position sharply contradicts recent comments by Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who urged the government to permit “responsible Nigerians” to bear arms. Nasiru characterised such calls as emotional outbursts rather than well-thought-out proposals.

“He enjoys protections most Nigerians do not,” Nasiru argued. “Firearms are expensive. If only a few can afford them, where is the balance? And even after the crisis, who collects the guns? That is how today’s terrorism began—politically armed groups that later slipped out of control.”

He also challenged the assumption that Nigeria can simply replicate firearm policies from other parts of the world.

“If we ask 250 million Nigerians to own guns, who regulates them?” he asked. “Even in the United States, where gun ownership is a constitutional right, mass killings still happen. Only yesterday, a family of four was wiped out.”

Nasiru insisted that the country must instead prioritise intelligence-driven security operations, improved coordination among security agencies, and deeper engagement with traditional rulers and local communities.

According to him, the most reliable intelligence comes from residents who understand the terrain, though many fear retaliation from terrorists. Strengthening community trust, he said, would go much further than distributing weapons.

Responding to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that Nigeria has enough surveillance drones to fight insecurity, Nasiru disagreed, noting gaps in both equipment and technical expertise.

“Our drones are insufficient, and we may not even be deploying the ones we have effectively,” he said. “Government must invest in more modern tools, and recruit more hands across the military, police, civil defence and DSS.”

He endorsed controlled foreign assistance, whether through training, intelligence support or technology transfer, as long as Nigerian authorities remain in charge.

“If we can seek external help for economic issues, we can also seek it for security,” he said.

As more communities brace for attacks, Nasiru warned that turning Nigeria into an armed society would only escalate the violence. The solution, he argued, lies not in multiplying firearms but in strengthening institutions, rebuilding trust, and modernising security operations across all levels.