The Nation Newspaper

Tag: vigilante

  • Herdsmen menace: Police, hunters to comb forest in Edo

    Herdsmen menace: Police, hunters to comb forest in Edo

    Edo State Police Command in collaboration with vigilantes and local hunters have concluded plans to commence tactical surveillance of forest suspected to be hideouts of notorious herdsmen and other criminals in the state.

    The exercise, according to the state Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, was aimed at smoking out all manner of criminals from the urban and rural communities in the state to enable farmers go to farms.

    The Police Commissioner urged them to provide information on forest and bushes suspected to be haven for notorious fulani herdsmen and other criminal elements in their domains.

    He warned local vigilante groups in the state against recruiting criminals or ex-cultists as part of their team.

    Gwandu who spoke at a stakeholders meeting with traditional rulers, hunters and vigilante groups said his command would not tolerate any vigilante group caught working with those he termed misguided elements.

    He said the criminals would hide under vigilante to commit crimes in the state.

    Gwandu told the traditional rulers that plans were on the way to flush out criminal herdsmen from various forest in the state.

    The state police boss assured the gathering that any corrupt police officers found culpable would dismissed from the force.

    “Edo police command under my watch would not tolerate corruption coming from any angle. I didn’t ask anybody to extort money from one  and you don’t  have to be corrupt while doing your job.

    “Government is showing serious concern about the activities of herdsmen in the state through joint forces combing the forest to flush out criminal elements in herdsmen.”

    Leaders of hunters, vigilant groups and representatives of traditional rulers expressed their readiness to sustain the partnership as security in their various communities is paramount.

    Amongst those who spoke at the gathering are the representative of Otaru of Auchi Alhaji Usman Abuda, Chief Raymond Okpai and Chief Sunday Omonua of Ekpoma Kingdom.

     

  • Vigilante group re-strategises for community policing in Lagos

    Vigilante group re-strategises for community policing in Lagos

    The Lagos State Command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria organised a one-day seminar on effective community policing.

    The seminar with the theme, ‘Effective community policing’ was put together with the aim of developing a genuine partnership in support of community policing on waterways by engaging citizens in check-mating various criminal activities in Lagos State.

    Underpinning the seminar is the understanding that it is only when the community and the police work together for their common good that the citizens can repose genuine confidence on the police and ensure adequate security.

    It was agreed at the one day conference of the necessity of members of communities to provide the police with confidential information and assistance to help prevent crimes and arrest criminals.

    Speaking at the seminar, Lagos state commander of the VGN, Otunba James Udoma said as part of activities to reduce crime to the barest minimum in the State, residents in the riverine areas should cooperate with the security operatives, particularly, the Nigerian police, by constantly supplying pertinent information, as a way of enhancing crime surveillance.

    Udoma said one of the fundamental handicap in pursuing criminal cases is the dearth of information gathering, following the arrest of suspects who are waiting prosecution.

    The security boss, therefore, solicited for partnership between the vigilante group and members of the public emphasising that even in the area of traditional security approach issues of information gathering, reporting to the police cannot be compromised for reasons of promoting professional integrity and securing life and property.

    Speaking on the topic, ‘Effective policing in Lagos State’, Deputy State commander, Emmanuel Ayisere recounted a number of security challenges in the recent past in Lagos State.

    According to him, “for instance, sometime ago at Olaofein in Magbon community, Ikorodu, many landlords who constituted themselves into vigilante group were shot and killed by people numbering about 50, as claimed by residents”.

    He also disclosed that high profile bank robbery incidents in Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac Town and Agbara respectively were all launched through the water ways.

    While regretting that a traditional ruler of Iba town, Oba Yisau Goriola was kidnapped from his palace and the kidnappers escaped through the creeks behind his palace, he added that several other attacks, which included kidnapping and robbery at Igando also took place with casualties and the gunmen escaped through the water ways.

    He also reminded of another occurrence which took place in Epe where pupils and teachers were kidnapped and the criminals escaped through the canal.

    The guest lecturer at the occasion who is also the Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Alimosho area, Prince Micheal Taiwo said that knowledge of the locality and the different terrain involved was paramount in conventional policing to serve the communities better and effectively. Adding that community policing involves genuine human relations, professional orientation and better understanding of the people in the domiciled area.

    While cautioning members of the VGN not to see themselves as agent of destruction in the course of carrying out their legitimate functions, Taiwo told the participants at the occasion to beware of manufacturing of evidences as information provided by informants.

    A marine expert, Dr. Akin Obe said occurrences of kidnapping and killing in the riverine areas in Lagos in recent times can be controlled when authorities of the Lagos state government collaborate with the grassroots in the area of information, intelligence gathering and reporting to assist the law enforcement agencies in tackling crimes.

    The conference also discussed no fewer than one hundred and fifty cases of treated criminal occurrences in the last six months in different communities, particularly the riverine areas in Lagos State.

    The participants left the seminar better informed and equipped to carry out their functions and duties as vigilantes/community police.

    The Commandant General of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) Alhaji Ali Sokoto led an entourage of some members of VGN on a courtesy visit to the Abeokuta Villa of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to intimate him of activities of the group nationwide and Obasanjo acquiesced that the enlistment of the paramilitary organisation into the security apparatus of the country is long overdue.

    He, however, advised VGN to be conscious of human rights issues in all its activities and that they must not see themselves as a parallel to the Nigeria police or try to take over their functions in the attempt to secure the nation.

    Obasanjo applauded the activities of the organisation in the area of community policing and urged them to redouble their efforts in combating menace of armed robbery and kidnapping in different parts of the country. And that they must display professional excellence and engage members in training and retraining in the course of discharging their duties.

  • Vigilante arrests suspected armed robbers in army uniform at Badagry

    Vigilante arrests suspected armed robbers in army uniform at Badagry

    The Lagos State Command of Vigilante Group of Nigeria, VGN, has arrested four suspected armed robbers who have been terrorizing the residents of Ishasi in Badagry area of Lagos.

    The operation was carried out by the anti-robbery squad of the VGN led by the Assistant Commander, Santoz Omerisun in Ishasi water ways.

    The culprits who are in their middle ages are  Francis Uche, from Mbanu in Imo State, Innocent Onye, who claims also to be involved in dealing with drugs, he hails from Abia State, Kennedy Ohimai and one Okos Ugbede.

    Items recovered from them include army uniforms, jack knife, Lagos State vehicle plate numbers and their pullover uniforms.

    Reacting to the arrest, the Lagos State Commander of VGN, Otunba James Udoma, urged residents to always provide useful information to security operatives and also to be on alert and report any suspicious movement of the people through the number: 08028345327 for quick intervention of his men.

    Udoma emphasised that vigilante officers have since redoubled their efforts in Badagry creeks immediately activities of pirates and armed bandits became highly noticeable in Ishasi and its environs.

    The culprits have since been handed over to the Ishasi divisional headquarters of the Nigeria Police for further interrogation.

  • Gunmen kill vigilante team member in Rivers

    Gunmen kill vigilante team member in Rivers

    Unidentified gunmen yesterday killed a member of a vigilante group in Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The victim, Nodi Nwachukwu Osam, according to a community source who spoke on condition of anonymity, was killed while on duty.

    He was said to have been killed by the yet-to-be-identified gunmen at about 1pm along Palace road, Omoku town.

    The 27-year old was until his death the Provost Marshall to the commander of the operating vigilante team in the area.

    The source told The Nation that the bandits opened fire at a tram of vigilante boys who were on patrol in the area.

    He disclosed that the vigilante team could not respond to the attack from the hoodlums, adding that they were not properly equipped to counter the superior force of the assailants.

    The source said, “The vigilante men were on patrol when cultists opened fire on them. They killed one of the vigilante members. His name is Nodi Nwachukwu Osam.

    “They killed him around Palace road. He was wearing the uniform of the vigilance team and also had his identity card when he died.”

    Condemning the attack, Commander of the vigilance team, Mr. Adah Nwachukwu, said the killing of one of his men was not enough to deter him from fighting crime in the area.

    Nwachukwu appealed to state government and good-spirited individuals to help provide security gadgets that would help it in fighting crime.

    He called on the government to equip the force with patrol vans and other logistics to enable them carry out their assignments with minimum stress.

    Nwachukwu explained that more than 20 members of his group have been killed by hoodlums in recent times.

    “The cultists have been attacking us since they know that we are determined to restore peace and sanity to this area. They have killed over 20 of my men. I am calling on the state government to help us. We want them to equip us so that we can face these boys that are terrorizing our communities”

  • Is vigilante the answer to community policing and criminality?

    Is vigilante the answer to community policing and criminality?

    In this era of grave insecurity characterised by insurgency, militancy, kidnapping, pipeline vandalisation, armed robbery, rape and all manner of criminalities both in the urban and rural communities; and with limited manpower of the Nigeria Police Force that is saddled with internal security as a result of insufficient manpower, the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), which specialises in community policing, according to its Lagos State Commander, Otunba James Udoma has been tackling security issues especially at the rural community level.

    According to him, there is a huge vacuum security-wise between the police and communities, where most criminal activities take place, which VGN fills as it collaborates with the police to fight crimes at that level. “Secondly, the way the police is established they can be moved from one geo-political zone to another, for instance transferring a policeman from Sokoto to come and work in Ikorodu. He does not know anything about the terrain or the topography. It is that vacuum that VGN fills for the police; insufficient manpower, lack of knowledge of the environment and lack of trust for the police by Nigerians. These are some of the vacuum VGN fills for the police. Nigerians are kind of estranged from the police which prevents them from giving the police the necessary information, but they can easily give such information to vigilante members who are members of their communities and we can then pass same information to the police for them to be proactive.”

    He added, “VGN is built and set up with the concept of vigilante, community security. When we say community security, it is a collaboration between the community members and the police. We quite understand the present state of insecurity in the country. Vigilante has been working in the areas of vigilance, in the area where there is insufficient police. It is just to assist and complement the job of the police. That is what vigilante is all about.”

    Registered in 1999 as an NGO under the Corporate Affairs Commission by groups of trustees headed by the Commandant General, Alhaji Ali Sokoto, “VGN is the only security organisation that has come together in public security and has access in training members by the police.”

    Udoma differentiates VGN from other vigilantes which he calls “mushroom vigilantes” who don’t have access to training and “that is where you sometimes have issues with vigilantes like the case that happened at Ejigbo where a woman was humiliated because she stole pepper. Some people may come together and call themselves vigilante in order to secure their environment. How are they trained? So the difference between the mushroom vigilante and members of VGN is that we are properly documented and also trained under the police. There is an approval from the Inspector General of Police that every member of our organisation that is registered with VGN has to be trained by the police which we have been doing. And for me being a security boss, we understand that every member of the vigilante has to undergo screening.

    “When most of them come from their communities, they would be given recommendation from their community members. Vigilante is quite different from other security and para-military organisations because they are domicile in their area of operation. They are part and parcel of the communities where they operate; they understand the terrain, topography and demography of that environment. So it is easier for them to identify every security challenge in their communities and quickly call on the police to proffer solution,” the security expert said.

    He however, said that VGN can coordinate the activities of these other vigilante groups. “That is the more reason why we are moving faster, because everybody now believes when you say vigilante you are referring to VGN, there is a wide difference between the two. So, we don’t want to wait till they destroy our vision and mission towards securing our environment. We have moved to make sure we bring them into this organisation, let them fall under the umbrella of VGN, so that they would have access to proper documentation, orientation and training.”

    The vigilante boss pointed out that VGN’s duties is only to complement the job of the police because the organization is “not the police, we only do community policing in our communities. How do we save our communities because of the present insecurity in the country? We cannot wait for the police to do it alone, we understand the stress the police is going through because of insufficient manpower, based on this we understand how to complement their job because we operate within the communities, we furnish them with all the necessary information when something goes wrong in the community.”

    Udoma who is also the chairman, conference of state commanders of VGN and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Security as well as the American Society for Industrial Security also said that apart from collaborating with the police, “we also synergise with all other security agencies within the state, whether SSS, police, Army, Civil Defence corps, even the Neighbourhood Watch. There is a synergy within us, so we are all working together so that we can save lives and property in the state where we belong.”

    He revealed how VGN has helped the police to solve some crimes in the past. He said the police cannot deny series of help the vigilante has rendered it.

    Speaking on the security related property protection law popularly called land grabbers law and the neighbourhood watch agency law recently signed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Udoma said, “It is a welcome development. We give kudos to Governor Ambode for remembering security as one of the major things he has to do.” He also hailed the state House of Assembly for the passage of the two laws.

    According to him, VGN which is already on ground in the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas  has registered its interest in the neighbourhood watch agency with the state government. “So we are looking forward to the commencement of that Agency and operation of the law. We are really looking forward to the government bringing in VGN that are on ground to activate them in executing the law and other security agencies. It will work fine and security will be on the high side in Lagos.”

    On relationship with the state government, he said it is cordial because VGN members unlike other “mushroom vigilantes” operate under very strict code of conduct and are disciplined individuals.

  • Vigilante ‘kills’ birthday celebrator

    Operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abia State are grilling a yet-to-be identified member of the State Vigilance Service (AVS) for allegedly killing a woman celebrating her birthday.

    The vigilante, who was a member of a group, popularly called the Bakassi Boys, is said to be attached to a fast food joint, near the Ariaria International Market in Aba, Abia State.

    The incident, it was learnt, caused tension and forced shop owners to close.

    Several fun seekers and those relaxing at the eatery hurriedly left the place with their loved ones to evade police arrest.

    Sources said the AVS official would have been lynched by a mob but for the intervention of a police patrol team that took him to the Ariaria Police Station for interrogation.

    A resident, who gave his name simply as Abraham, said: “One of my brothers who was at the fast food joint said he and his friends were eating when they heard a gunshot by the Bakassi man. But a lady, who was said to be holding her birthday bash at the fast food, came talking to him. Suddenly, a loud bang was heard and, before help could come, she had died.

    “It was not clear what she told him. But those who claim to have heard their conversation said she was asking him why he shot into the air since he knew that she was hosting her friends at the fast food joint.”

    The source said it was not clear if the vigilante was drunk when the incident occurred.

    Those on the scene said the vigilante’s action angered them, adding that they were planning to lynch the vigilante when the police arrived on the scene and took him to Ariaria Police Division.

    The woman’s body was said to have been deposited in a morgue, while unconfirmed reports said the vigilante had been transferred to the SCID for further investigation.

    Efforts to reach police spokesman Nta Ogbonnaya Nta were unsuccessful last night.

    He could not be reached on his mobile phone while he did not reply text messages sent to the phone.

  • Police rescue woman abducted by Boko Haram

    Police rescue woman abducted by Boko Haram

    Vigilant Security Operatives from the Kano State Police Command last Saturday night in Hotoro quarters of the metropolis rescued a mother of three, identified as Khadeja Ibrahim, who miraculously escaped from the hands of her abductors, as she was kidnapped from Maiduguri, Borno State.

    She was rescued at about 11 pm last Saturday in the Hotoro area of Kano State from the grips of her captives, who drove her to Kano after kidnapping her at a bus stop on her way to the hospital in Maiduguri.

    Briefing reporters in Kano Sunday, Kano State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abbati Maigari Dikko, disclosed that Khadija’s captives picked her from a bus stop, pretending to offer her lift.

    According to the CP, no sooner she boarded the vehicle than she was hypnotized, with some undisclosed substances, which promptly rendered her unconscious, not realizing, where she was until the vehicle in which they were travelling developed a technical hitch at the outskirts of Kano.

    While the vehicle was on transit, the CP said that her captives asked her whether she is familiar with Kano metropolis but she replied that she had no idea.

    Thereafter, according to the Police Commissioner, her captors told her that they were taking to Kano to perform:” Aiki Allah (like a Jihad).

    Furthermore, the CP disclosed that as soon as Khadeja regained consciousness, she realized that the clothes she earlier wore had been removed and substituted with something that looked like a locally made bullet proof jacket, adorned with so many chains and nails.

    Meanwhile, according to the CP, while efforts were been made to fix the vehicle, which was also carrying two men, Khadija and another woman, and in the process she attempted to remove the jacket because she heard about the Aiki Allah, which aroused her suspicion that she is at the wrong hands (Boko Haram insurgents).

    Fortunately for Khadeja, according to the CP, she was able to remove the jacket, jumped out of the car and ran out, as one of the captors pursued her, threatening that wherever she escapes to she would be traced, emphasizing that they are all over the environment.

    But however, the CP noted that God in His infinite mercy enabled her to make good her escape, during which she ran into some Security operatives, who rescued and took her to Hotoro Police Station, from where she was transferred to the Kano Police Command Headquarters in Hotoro between 11 and 12 Saturday midnight.

    Meanwhile, Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has cautioned Kano people to be extra-vigilant, particularly market men and women, following information that Boko Haram insurgents may launch an attack in any of the markets in the commercial city of Kano.

    This followed information extracted from the Boko Haram insurgents that they may launch an attack in any of the Kano markets, sooner or later, hence the need to be extra vigilant.

  • Law to regulate, control vigilantes under way in Lagos

    Law to regulate, control vigilantes under way in Lagos

    Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly is set to pass a bill to establish the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency for regulation and control of the vigilante corps activities into law.

    Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade explained that the bill is to proffer lasting solutions to the insecurity caused by cult groups, hoodlums’ crisis, riots amongst others which has led to the loss of lives and properties of citizens in the State and to serve as surveillance to the government, was sponsored by the Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

    He also stated that the intendment of the bill is for the corps to help the police with necessary information during investigation in order to arrest criminals with a view to having a peaceful community for the interest of the citizens of Lagos State.

    Contributing, Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuoso affirmed that the neighbourhood corps are close to the people and they will cater for the protection of the people by giving necessary information to the police which will help in arresting any suspected culprit within the community.

    She said the provision of funding of the neighbourhood safety will make it attractive for the masses by creating job opportunities for the youths.

    Hon. Abiodun Tobun said that the bill will make policing very simple in the state while those employed in the task will know people that are coming in and going out of the community and as such will be able to pass information quickly to the police and when that is done they will do follow up to make sure the criminals are prosecuted.

    Hon. Tunde Braimoh stated that the members of the corps must be certified as non-cultist and they must reside within the community so that they will be able to take the bull by the horn.

    Hon. Olawale emphasized that the bill will compliment proper policing of the country and if they are properly insured they will perform effectively. They need to be trained effectively.

    The bill was committed to the committee on Information, strategy and security.

  • Explosive hidden in polythene bag, says vigilante

    Explosive hidden in polythene bag, says vigilante

    Commandant of the Gallant Community Protection and Safety Foundation (GCPSF), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ukombu John, said the twin bomb blasts in Nyanya which occurred within the space of five minutes to each other on Friday night was probably caused by Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) concealed in black polythene bags and left at the scene and not by a suicide bomber.

    According to him, the vigilante group stationed opposite the Jikwoyi Park, was among the first respondents at the scene of the blast and were horrified to count about 10 to 15 bodies, dismembered and burnt beyond recognition when the dust settled.John narrated that they tried to tend to the injured by carrying them in wheel barrows before emergency workers and other security operatives who responded very quickly arrived.

    The commandant lamented that people have just begun to feel safe again in Nyanya, after the two bomb blasts that occurred last year but now suspicion and fear have returned and even petty traders are afraid of returning to the road side where they always sell.

    He said, “We were here when the bomb blast occurred within a space of five minutesý, at about, 9.20pm and the second one happened at 9.25pm. We do not believe it was a suicide bomber, we think that something was in a black leather bag in the scene which exploded.

    “It was getting late at night and the park was not really full which is the reason for the less casualties.”

    A resident of Nyanya and businessman, Joseph Anidi who sells furniture opposite the scene of the blast lamented how the return of the blasts will now affect his business.

    He said that relative normalcy had returned to the area after last year’s blast and business was finally back to normal for him but now, the return of the blast will bring back fear into the heart

    Another resident of Mararaba, Idris Suleiman, who also spoke with our correspondent, said, “Nigerians have to remember that security is every body’s job, you cannot leave it just for the Army or Policeý, we need to now learn to be security conscious if we see anything or anyone suspicious.”

  • Abia vigilante group kills 30-yr-old man in Aba

    Members of the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS) aka ‘Bakassi’, have allegedly killed a 30-year-old man in Aba.

    The victim, simply identified as Sunny Pound, according to reports, was said to have died while being rushed to the hospital for medical treatment as a result of gunshot wounds.

    The incident, which happened on Thursday afternoon at about 3pm, The Nation gathered, caused pandemonium along Ngwa road and the popular Orji Uzor Kalu bridge where the incident happened, as some of the residents protested the killing.

    It was gathered that the situation would have degenerated, but for the timely intervention of a sister security agency that arrived the scene.

    According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the victim was shot after the vigilante members encountered some alleged drug peddlers near the popular Good Morning market along Ngwa road.

    “When the vigilante boys got to the place, the owner, popularly known as ‘who is free’, was not around, but his boys were sleeping. After they were woken up, they told the vigilante people that their boss was not around. But the vigilante asked to be settled, leading to serious argument.

    “It was in the heat of the argument that one of the Bakassi boys started shooting sporadically into the air, and in the process, one of the boys in the drug bunk was shot while he was trying to escape from the scene.

    “Sensing danger, the vigilante members fled the scene, while the drug peddlers took the corpse to the office of the vigilante group at Agu.”

    The corpse of the victim, it was gathered, has been deposited at an undisclosed morgue in the Aba metropolis.

    When contacted, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Ezekiel Onyeke said that the incident was yet to be reported officially to the police.

    The head of the AVS cannot be reached for comments.

    Meanwhile,  the Abia State police command has held a police-community town hall meeting with the people as part of the efforts to ensure better security in the state.

    Speaking at the meeting, the state Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, said the police have continued to adopt new strategies and techniques, with special emphasis on community policing.

    Joshak lamented the gap between the police and the community, which he attributed to the sharp increase in crime rate in the country, pointing out that a participatory approach to policing will ensure security for all.