Kaduna – Kaduna State Government on Thursday said it would
legalise operations of vigilante groups to assist in securing the lives
and property of people at the grassroots.
The Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kish Adamu, represented by his
Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Aminu, told newsmen after the state
executive council meeting in Kaduna. Adamu said the incessant security
challenges witnessed in the state neccessiated the need for the
government to legalise vigilante groups to assist in safeguarding the
people.
He said the council had approved a draft bill on the establishment of
vigilante service, which would be submitted to the State House of
Assembly for passage into law.
“ Vigilante groups are community- based, they emerge and function
within their locality with the view to assisting the security agencies
in maintaining law and order, ensuring that miscreants don’t pose a lot
of threat to the people.” According to him, the financial responsibility
of the group would be shared between the community, state and local
governments.
“ It is expected that the burden of shouldering it would be primarily
handled at the grassroots. “ The community would continue to bear the
expenses, but the local governments will also play a major role in the
financing and operation, and wherever possible, the state would also
come in to assist.’’
The commissioner said the general public and corporate bodies were
also expected to assist in sustaining the operations of the vigilante
service to ensure peace in the state.
“ We have to be responsible. We shouldn’t expect the security outfits
to be able to do everything in terms of policing the state.’’
He called on the people to assist security agencies to address
security challenges, as it had affected development in the state and the
nation at large.
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