Nigeria’s Former Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) on Saturday again called on Nigerians to take up arms against terrorists and bandits as that is the only way they can defend themselves and be free from attacks.

In May 2018, General Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff (1976-1979), made a similar call, accusing Nigerian Army troops of colluding with the terrorists and bandit to kill innocent Nigerian. This statement pitched him against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari with then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai dismissing the allegations.

Buratai said there is no truth in General Danjuma’s statement that troops were colluding with terrorists and bandits to escalate killings.

But General Danjuma, in his goodwill message at the presentation of staff of office to the 25 Aku-Uka of Wukari in Taraba State, Manu Ishaku Adda Ali, doubled down on his assertion, alleging that the Armed Forces were either unwilling to defend the country or that Nigeria is under siege.

He said it is sad that Nigeria, the biggest black country in the world, is under siege by terrorists who are trying to root out the citizens.

“As a soldier, the best defence is attack. Right now, we are all sitting ducks. These people are armed to the teeth with weapons of mass destruction but we don’t have them. We have the numbers and the land belongs to us. They are trying to colonise us and take over our lands. Your majesty, you must unite our people to defend themselves.

“I will not give you arms. Find out how the people who have it got it and use the same means to acquire arms and defend yourselves. This beautiful land called Nigeria is being brought to ruin by absolutely useless criminals. How do they get here? We know some of them may even be here. My prayer is that God Almighty that has given us this land will give us the courage to face these enemies and chase them out. This we must do, otherwise, Nigeria is finished.

“We must find out the source of the arms of terrorists; Nigerians should equally find a means of arming themselves to face the terrorists,” he said.

He said when he accused the military of colluding with terrorists, he was called a liar, but now, Nigerians had realised the truth.

He said after his statement in 2018, a “Kangaroo panel” was set up by the military and he was invited to defend what he said but he refused to appear before the panel.

Danjuma, while congratulating the new Aku-Uka for ascending the throne of his forefathers, advised him to unite the Jukun people.