By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom state Commandant, Vigilante Group of Nigeria(VGN), Mr Micheal Joshua, has revealed that the state command deployed 100 officers monthly to complement the efforts of the Joint Task Force (JTF) currently fighting insurgencies in parts of the North East states of the country.
Joshua told a press conference yesterday in Uyo that even though President Mohammadu Buhari is yet to assent to the Vigilante Group of Nigeria bill, the organization has contributed greatly toward the fight against the security challenges in the North East and other parts of the country.
Joshua said the organization which has also assisted in ensuring peace and security in Akwa Ibom depend solely on volunteers who are passionate about the peace and security of the country.
The commandant said that the command has over 5,700 indigenes recruited into the organization and trained by security experts to handle internal security and ensure adequate protection of lives and properties.
He said officers and men of the command are recruited from among the locals who are conversant with the terrain for effective crime detection and apprehension noting that you need to be familiar with the environment to effectively monitor emerging security breaches.
“Our men are deployed monthly to complement other sisters agencies who a currently fighting Boko Haram terrorist in the Northern parts of the country. We send one hundred personnel monthly. After one month we recall that batch and replace them with another group. I thank God we have not recorded any casualty.
“We have assisted the effort of the federal government in restoring security in the north. Vigilante Group of Nigeria is an institution properly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and recognized at all levels of government. The bill to regularize our operations has been passed by the National Assembly and is awaiting the president assent.
“There are pockets of insecurity in most parts of the country and you cannot use strangers to combat criminality in your area, you need the men on the ground. That is the importance of the vigilante group. We have adequate knowledge of the environment we operate. The formation of a vigilante group is important for internal security.
“We complement the Nigerian Police in fighting crime. We are not in competition with the police but assist them in the discharge of their duties. We have local government offices in the 774 local government areas in the country.” He explained.
Joshua expressed appreciation to Governor Udom Emmanuel for providing office accommodation for them in the state and assisting the command.
He however expressed worry that some criminally minded elements in the state have started impersonating members of the organization, warning that the command will not spare anyone tarnishing the hard earned reputation of the group.
