Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, has said the comment made by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.) that Nigerians should defend themselves amid the security challenges in the country, is an evidence that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has failed.

National Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin, added that the president’s way of handling the security challenges of the country may likely push the good people of Nigeria to seek justice on their own.

Recall that the Defence Minister said on Wednesday, that “It is the responsibility of everybody to keep alert and to find safety when necessary. But we shouldn’t be cowards.

“At times, the bandits will only come with about three rounds of ammunition, when they fire shots everybody runs. In our younger days, we stand to fight any aggression coming for us.”

The statement had generated series of reactions with some Nigerians calling the government to license guns for every citizen to confront criminals in the country.

Odumakin further disclosed that “The comment of the defence minister shows that Buhari has failed. Are we supposed to defend ourselves with bare hands when they (criminals) are with guns? Only Fulani herdsmen are carrying AK-47 all over Nigeria today and you are asking us to defend ourselves with bare hands against AK-47?

 “The token from that statement is that we (Buhari regime) have failed, we can no longer defend you. That was what he (Magashi) was telling us.”

Concerning the rampant attacks by killer herders on host farmers in the South-West region, the Afenifere spokesman said any attempt to seek “ethnic justice” will lead to genocide, and that is why the group has been refrained and cautioned against people seeking ethnic justice.

He however said “But with the way Buhari is going, he is pushing people to that level where they may have to seek justice on their own.”

He added that “There is nothing like farmer-herder clashes, it is a lie by the Buhari government. What we have is herders’ terrorism against farmers. You send your wife to the farm, they waylay her and rape her, and say it is a clash. What clash is in that? The word, ‘clash’ is from the Federal Government, it is from Aso Rock, it is a lie from the pit of hell. What we are having is terrorising by the Fulani herdsmen.”

The Afenifere chieftain noted that banning open grazing and embracing the ranching system of cattle breeding remained the only way out of insecurity in the South-west region.