Banditry: Deployment Of Vigilantes In Communities – Northwest Governors
POLITICS DIGEST – Governors from the Northwest alongside their Niger State counterpart have jointly endorsed the deployment of trained vigilantes in their respective states, to shore up the presence of security personnel in the rural communities.
A statement by the Director-General, Media, to the Katsina State Governor, Abdul Labaran Malumfashi, said Governor Masari made the disclosure while addressing the participants at the14th Special Training Session at the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, on the topic “Governance, Security and Sustainable Development in Africa: Nexus, Challenges and Prospects.”
Masari further disclosed that providing the trained vigilante groups was intended to support security personnel that are fully committed to the fight against criminals in the region.
Governor Masari also announced that the state government had commenced the training programme with 500 members of the vigilante group selected from the 34 local government areas as the first batch.
He said: “The training would be sustained to ensure that all the local government areas have trained members of the vigilante groups, the programme is aimed at addressing security challenges.”
“It has been fully supported by the Inspector-General of Police.
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“Deploying vigilantes to the grassroots can help tackle banditry if governments within the region work towards achieving the desired goal.”
He recalled that the state government had, apart from the ongoing training, amended the local government law to provide for full involvement of traditional and religious leaders as well as leaders of various traditional trades in supporting the provision of security at their respective communities.
Also to help in curbing crimes in Kaduna State, the Police Public Enlightenment Campaign Forum has entered into a partnership with the Kaduna State Government in the training of 5,758 youths on intelligence gathering and curbing of crime, especially banditry in the state.
Chief Sheriff and National Coordinator of the Forum, Abdullahi Al-Asad Umar Ladan Spy, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) stated this while briefing reporters in Kaduna.
He explained that the collaboration is with Banpet Security and Surveillance Services to ensure that 250 youths are trained in each of the 23 local government areas of the state.
He further explained that the selected youths are also expected to be trained in community policing and electronic security technology soft and hard wares.
DSP Abdullahi Ladan Spy further explained that the partnership is directly with the Kaduna State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
He said the state government has given approval for the training which will commence soon.
