FELIX NWANERI writes on the recent declaration by a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Theophilus Danjuma, for Nigerians to take up arms and defend themselves against criminal elements killing and maiming citizens across the country
Aformer Chief of Army Staff and erstwhile Minister of Defence, Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), is known for speaking truth to power, but his interventions have not been without controversies.
A soldier to the core, Danjuma’s self-effacing attributes as a leader endeared him to his colleagues and explained his meteoric rise through the ranks to the enviable position of Army chief. Born on December 9, 1938 in Takum, Taraba State, Danjuma attended St Bartholomew’s Primary School in Wusasa, then Benue Provincial Secondary School in Katsina-Ala.
He received his Higher School Certificate in 1958, and in 1959, enrolled at the Nigerian College of Arts Science and Technology in Zaria (Ahmadu Bello University). However, by the end of 1960, Danjuma had left university for recruitment in the Nigerian Army.
He was officially commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1963 as a second lieutenant and platoon commander in the Congo. He joined a United Nations Peace-keeping force in Santé, Katanga Province in Congo and was promoted to captain three years later.
In 1966, Danjuma was involved in the counter-coup that toppled the regime of Maj. General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. He also featured prominently in the NigerianBiafran war (1967-1970).
In 1970, Danjuma attended the International Court Martial in Trinidad and Tobago as Nigeria’s representative, when he was appointed president of the tribunal in a case brought against members of a failed coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago.
Following his promotion to a colonel in 1971, he was saddled with the responsibility of court-martialing Army officers accused of corruption and indiscipline. In 1975 he was promoted to a brigadier; the following year, he became the Chief of Army Staff. He retired from the Army in 1979.
But, unlike most of his contemporaries, he had little interest in seeking political appointment after retiring from the military. All he wanted to do was go into business, and he instantly became a hit upon venturing into business.
He was so much sought after that he was appointed into boards of so many blue-chip companies because he is not only respected, but as a result of his closeness to the corridors of power, which the firms believe can give them access to powers as well as help increase their profit margin.
Though Danjuma never ran for office after leaving the military, he opted to remain a kingmaker and was one of those that made it possible for a former Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, to come back the second time to rule Nigeria for another eight years.
Besides supporting Obasanjo, he served in his government as Minister of Defence. However, his insistence on rules, forced him to sever ties with the man he helped to power. Not many would have contemplated that given pecuniary benefits that come with the office he occupied.
Danjuma’s disagreement with Obasanjo stemmed from his belief that the latter was becoming dictatorial and most importantly, his then rumoured third term plot. But, leaving the government did not deter the Taraba State born army general from expressing his views on critical national issues.
While Danjuma’s views on issues, be it the insurgency in the North-East or alleged plot to impose the Sharia ideology on the North, militancy in the Niger Delta and failure of leadership, among others, earned him both kudos and knocks, his call in 2018, for Nigerians to defend themselves against killers in the country, triggered a heated debate that pitted him against authorities and many others.
The warning I gave some years ago is still as valid today as it was then. Nigerians must rise and defend themselves. We cannot continue to sit and watch, while bandits, terrorists and criminal gangs massacre our people unchecked
He had then pointedly accused the military of colluding with those perpetuating killings across the country because they have “an ethnic cleansing agenda.” Danjuma, who spoke then at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, Jalingo, averred:
“I am not a politician and politics is one profession I don’t want to belong to because if I am a politician, I would not say what I am going to say to you now.
“When I arrived this arena, I saw rich cultural display, and I was amazed at the rich cultural heritage of our people. Taraba is a mini-Nigeria with diverse ethnic groups living together peacefully, but the peace in this state is under assault.
“There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course, some rural states in Nigeria. We must resist it. We must stop it; everyone of us must rise up.
“The armed forces are not neutral. They are conniving with armed bandits that kill people. They facilitate their movement. They cover them. You must rise to defend yourselves from these people. If you are depending on the armed forces to protect you, you will all die one by one.
“I ask every one of you to be alert and defend your country. Defend your territory; defend your states, because you have nowhere else to go. Ethnic cleansing must stop in Nigeria otherwise Somalia would be child’s play.”
No doubt, some individuals have advocated such measure before then given the spate of killings by suspected herdsmen across the country, but a personality like Danjuma expressing support for such measure, explained the torrent of reactions that greeted the advice at that time.
The Federal Government and the Army, in their separate reactions then, did not only dismiss Danjuma’s allegations, but said his call was inflammatory and should be disregarded. The Supreme Council for Shariah, on its part, called for his prosecution over what it described as treasonable felony.
While the then Muhammadu Buhari administration refrained from going after the former Army chief, apparently because of his societal standing, Danjuma, at the weekend, reiterated his call for Nigerians take up arms and defend themselves against bandits and criminals as relying solely on the government for protection is no longer realistic.
Speaking on Saturday at a public event in Takum, Taraba State, Danjuma said his warning years ago remains relevant amid the growing wave of insecurity across the country.
According to him, the recent spate of killings in Benue, Plateau, and other parts of Nigeria have once again validated his concerns. His words: “The warning I gave some years ago is still as valid today as it was then. Nigerians must rise and defend themselves. We cannot continue to sit and watch while bandits, terrorists, and criminal gangs massacre our people unchecked.”
Danjuma, who lamented what he described as the government’s inability to provide adequate security, stressing that the time had come for communities to take proactive steps in protecting their lives and properties. “It is now very clear that the government alone cannot protect us.
We must stand up and defend ourselves, our families, and our lands before these criminals overrun the entire country,” he added.
His comments were in the wake of renewed attacks in Benue and Plateau states, where dozens of lives have been lost and several communities displaced in recent weeks.
Whereas many Nigerians are likely to welcome Danjuma’s call, Jigawa State governor, Umar Namadi, who disagreed with the ex-Chief of Army Staff, warned that such call could lead to chaos. His words:
“He (Danjuma) is a very senior security person, and should be respected. But if he says that citizens should be allowed to defend themselves, I think you are causing anarchy.
His words need to be analysed carefully.” The governor emphasised that the government is actively working to improve the country’s security architecture.
He cited efforts in Jigawa State as an example of how strategic planning and community engagement can yield positive results.
“When we assumed office, we employed a lot of strategies and brought in experts. We also engaged traditional rulers and established standing committees to communicate with the people. Now, they understand that fighting or killing each other is not the solution.
We have not reached the level where people need to defend themselves,” he said. Governor Namadi, however, expressed support for the establishment of state police, saying it remains a viable solution to the nation’s security challenges.
No doubt, Danjuma in his usual style, has stirred the hornets again, only time will tell whether the concerns he raised are genuine or a mere dust aimed at ruffling those in government.
