Former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, has criticized the government for giving terrorists and bandits “celebrity treatment” at peace meetings while leaving ordinary Nigerians defenseless against violent attacks.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Wednesday, titled “Beyond State Police: The Urgent Case for Citizens’ Right to Bear Arms,” Dalung argued that Nigeria’s centralized security system has collapsed, exposing citizens to criminals armed with sophisticated weapons.

He noted that while bandits and terrorists openly flaunt weapons at government-sponsored peace talks in the presence of security agencies, ordinary citizens risk arrest and prosecution for possessing even basic tools of self-defense.

“The debate over establishing state police has resurfaced in constitutional discussions, with arguments both for and against it. But Nigeria’s security reality has deteriorated far beyond such narrow considerations,” Dalung wrote.

“With the collapse of our existing security system, what is urgently needed is not just the creation of state, local government, and community police, but also a constitutional amendment granting citizens the right to legally bear arms for self-defense.

“Today, terrorists and violent criminals brazenly wield sophisticated weapons—automatic rifles, hand grenades, rocket launchers, and even drones—while inflicting untold trauma on innocent Nigerians.

“Ironically, these same criminals are treated like celebrities at government-organized peace meetings, where they showcase their weapons openly before security agencies, including the military. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens cannot even keep a kitchen knife for protection without risking arrest. This double standard leaves the masses exposed, helpless, and trapped in a system that protects the rich and violent while criminalizing the poor.”

Dalung called for urgent constitutional reforms to allow layered policing—covering state, local, and community levels—alongside recognition of citizens’ rights to legally bear arms.

He further accused those opposing state policing and citizens’ right to self-defense of dishonesty, alleging that many benefit from the failed security system or shield terrorist financiers who remain untouched.

According to him, Nigeria must adopt a multi-level policing model similar to that of the United States to strengthen security and rebuild public trust.