The Labour Party’s 2023 Lagos governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has urged the Federal Government to consider licensing firearms for citizens if it cannot guarantee their safety.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Rhodes-Vivour cited recent abductions in Kwara and Ogun States as evidence of rising nationwide insecurity. He warned that the destruction of public institutions and declining trust in government are pushing Nigerians toward self-defence.
He argued that when the judiciary fails to deliver justice and the police cannot protect lives, citizens begin to feel compelled to defend themselves. “If the military withdraws from an area and terrorists immediately return to kidnap and kill, people will have to defend themselves,” he said.
Rhodes-Vivour explained that governance is based on a social contract where citizens surrender certain rights in exchange for security and basic services. According to him, Nigerians have already resorted to self-help in areas like electricity and water, and may have to do the same for personal safety if the government continues to fall short.
He added that the government must act decisively by strengthening intelligence gathering, empowering the military, and identifying the financiers of terrorism.
Commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remark suggesting he might intervene in Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” against terrorists, Rhodes-Vivour said it highlights the failure of Nigerian leaders to protect their citizens.
He called the situation “a disgrace,” insisting that Nigeria should not rely on foreign interventions to solve its internal security problems.
