Mukhtar Shagari: Government Should License Nigerians To Keep Guns At Home

Former Sokoto Deputy Governor Mukhtar Shagari says licensed gun ownership can support self-defence amid rising insecurity.

Mukhtar Shagari, a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, has called on the federal government to license Nigerians to keep firearms in their homes for self-defence, saying citizens should be able to protect themselves when faced with attacks.

Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Shagari said self-defence is a legitimate right and argued that licensed gun ownership should form part of efforts to address the country’s security challenges. He made the remarks while discussing the proposed creation of state police and broader security concerns across Nigeria.

Responding to a question on whether self-defence should play a role in tackling insecurity, Shagari said Nigerians should not be expected to wait for security personnel when confronted by criminals.

“Self-defence is legitimate. If somebody wants to attack you, do you go into it until a policeman comes to save you? So self-defence is also part of it,” he said.

He added that defending oneself should not be confused with taking the law into one’s own hands.

“Thieves come to attack your house, and then somebody says, no, don’t take the law into your hands. No, you just have to come out and defend yourself. But I’m not saying that people should be carrying guns all over the place,” he said.

Asked how Nigerians should protect themselves if they are not expected to carry firearms publicly, Shagari said the government should allow qualified citizens to own guns within their homes.

“I think the federal government should be licensing people to have their own guns in their own houses. That is very important,” he said.

During the interview, Shagari also renewed his support for the establishment of state police, describing it as necessary to strengthen security efforts and complement the work of existing security agencies across the country.

He argued that state police officers recruited from local communities would have a better understanding of their environment and could help improve intelligence gathering and crime prevention. He also called for stronger cooperation between federal and state authorities to address insecurity.