It began as a blunt, breathless X (formerly Twitter) post: “Dear Nigerians, arm yourselves. Buy AK-47 rifles… learn to use them.” The man behind the words — Babatunde Gbadamosi, a former Lagos governorship hopeful — lit a fuse that’s been smouldering in Nigeria for years.

His message landed in a country already scarred by banditry, kidnappings, separatist violence and a fraying trust in the state’s ability to protect citizens. For many, his words were a cold admission: when government fails, people look for their own protection — sometimes in bullets.

But Gbadamosi is not the only public figure to nudge (or shove) Nigerians toward arms.

For the past half-decade, a string of governors, ex-generals and former officials have, in different words and at different times, told citizens to “take up arms,” “defend yourselves,” or otherwise prepare for self-defence.

Some urged policies allowing licensed civilian gun ownership; others were far more incendiary. Below is a sourced, documented list of the most prominent such voices — and a sober analysis of what their rhetoric does to the country.

1) Babatunde Gbadamosi — “Buy AK-47s, learn to use them” (Oct 2025)

The most recent example. Gbadamosi explicitly told Nigerians to arm themselves — naming weapons (AK-47s, GPMG machine guns, RPGs) and even light armoured vehicles — in a social post defending the right to resist what he framed as existential threats.
The post sparked immediate outrage and debate online about responsibility, legality and the danger of normalizing vigilante armament.

2) Aminu Bello Masari — “Buy guns, defend yourselves” (Katsina governor, 2021)

In 2021, amid devastating bandit attacks in the northwest, then-Governor of Katsina State Aminu Masari told residents they should acquire weapons to defend themselves — arguing that security forces alone could not protect every community.

The remarks were widely reported as a dramatic shift in tone from public officials and raised questions about state-sanctioned vigilantism.

3) Zamfara State Government — endorsing local arms for defence (2022)

Zamfara — one of the states worst hit by banditry — publicly signalled support for residents obtaining weapons for protection in 2022.

Reports documented government messaging that, in effect, opened the door to community self-armament as a response to chronic insecurity. International outlets flagged this as a worrying trend of regional governments approving private gun ownership by default.

4) Retired General T.Y. Danjuma — “Defend yourselves” (repeated calls 2018–2025)

Lt-Gen. Theophilus (T.Y.) Danjuma — a retired minister of defence and respected voice in security circles — has on multiple occasions urged Nigerians to “defend themselves” against insurgents and targeted killings.

His interventions are often framed as appeals to preparedness and self-help where the state is weak. Danjuma’s stature makes his words powerful and, critics say, dangerously ambivalent: is this warning or tacit permission?

5) Dikko Umaru Radda & other northern governors — public calls for legal civilian armament (2023–2024)

Some sitting governors (and state governments) have asked the federal government to allow civilians to own guns legally so communities can defend themselves.

Katsina’s follow-ups and similar voices from other frontline states framed the request as a plea for parity: bandits have sophisticated arms; why shouldn’t embattled civilians be allowed some means of defence? These entreaties reflect despair with the federal security architecture.

6) Ibikunle Amosun (former Ogun governor) — the arms-import controversy (2019)

This is not a plea to citizens but a dramatic example of political actors and weapons intersecting. In 2019 reporting by Premium Times, former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun was linked to the import of 1,000 AK-47 rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition — a story that produced national uproar and questions about how powerful actors obtain and store military weapons.

Whether those weapons were for the state or personal stockpiles remains controversial, but the episode exposed how porous controls can be.

Why politicians say this — and why it’s dangerous

There are three recurring motives behind these calls:

1. State failure & pressure valve — When police and military are seen as absent or ineffective, leaders pragmatically urge citizens to protect themselves rather than watch them die. That instinct is understandable — but it is also a slippery slope.

2. Political signaling — Urging people to arm themselves can be performative: it projects strength and a willingness to “do something” when voters are terrified. It can also rally a political base in troubled regions.

Also Read: Real Reason I Dropped My Father’s Name ‘Otedola’ – Temi

3. Security strategy framing — Some argue for regulated civilian militias or licensed ownership as part of a layered security model. The problem: in practice, poorly regulated arms proliferate fast and accountability is weak.

The thin line between survival and disaster

When a public figure tells a frightened population to “buy AK-47s,” the message is both confession and prophecy: the state is not delivering; people must fend for themselves.

That line — between legitimate self-defence and mass armament — is razor thin. Leaders who urge private armament are planting seeds that can grow into long-term violence, institutional breakdown and cycles of reprisal that last generations.

We should hear the desperation behind these calls. We must also resist the temptation to answer that despair with more guns. The real test for Nigeria’s leaders is not who can give the most dramatic soundbite; it’s who can restore a monopoly of legitimate, accountable force — through law, institutions, and competence — so citizens no longer have to choose the rifle over the rule of law.