Group applauds Gov Ambode’s neighbourhood watch initiative

THE Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) has applauded Gov Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State’s initiative to constitute a Neighbourhood Watch, a grassroots security outfit, to beef up security in the state.

The group’s Deputy Commander in the state, Mr Emmanuel Ayisire, gave the applause in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

According to him, the governor’s initiative is aimed at ensuring that the people in various localities actively participate in crime control and prevention.

“I want to believe that the state government will definitely think of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria because, as a matter of fact, they did say that the Neighbourhood Safety Agency would supervise the activities of the corps they want to create

“And as members of Vigilante Group of Nigeria, we are waiting to see the next signal from the state government.

“For now, our men are on the ground in the various localities, while the state government might be thinking of recruiting, there are some people that are already on the ground that are familiar with the terrain, they are also familiar with their roles and functions.

According to him, the Lagos State ghas realised that it needs more hands and they are trying to recruit people that will serve as a Neighbourhood Corps that will work with the police.

“We only hope that they will be given adequate training to do their job well.

“They will need to be armed, they will need security gadgets; they will need to give them the proper induction to be able to perform their roles well.

Ayisire stressed the need for his own security outfit to be carried along in the execution of such a novel project of community policing.

NAN reports that Gov Ambode had on Tuesday said 5,000 men and women would be recruited into the Neighbourhood Watch, a grassroots security outfit, as part of his administration’s efforts at beefing up security.

The governor also said that the Neighbourhood Safety Agency Law, which came into effect on August 15, would institutionalise and deepen community policing in the state.

According to the governor, at least N25, 000 monthly stipends will be paid to each member of the outfit.