Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), former Lagos governorship candidate of the Labour Party (now with the African Democratic Congress), says the federal government should start licensing firearms for citizens as a last line of defence against terrorists.
Speaking on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Rhodes-Vivour said the surge in nationwide insecurity shows that government security structures have collapsed, leaving Nigerians exposed.
“This is not just about the north. We saw abductions in Kwara and Ogun over the weekend,” he said, warning that public trust in institutions has eroded to the point where people no longer expect protection.
Rhodes-Vivour argued that with the government failing in its constitutional duty to secure lives and property, self-defence is becoming the only viable option.
“If people do not believe the judiciary will deliver justice, or that the police will protect lives, they must act,” he said. “It’s wicked to ask citizens to remain helpless.”
He linked his position to the recent spike in terrorist attacks on schools and worship centres across several regions, saying these incidents prove that insecurity is no longer confined to the north.
The former LP candidate criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for prioritising the 2027 elections over national safety.
“If I were in government, I would focus on protecting lives, not the next election,” he said, accusing the government of creating space for conspiracy theories and a credibility deficit by mishandling security.
Rhodes-Vivour also condemned the government’s ongoing negotiations with bandits, calling the strategy unsustainable and dangerous.
“How many Nigerians will be killed before serious action is taken?” he asked.
He insisted that Nigeria’s leaders must urgently restore security or allow citizens the means to defend themselves.
