Niger gov launches special vigilante corps, operational vehicles

Governor Abubakar Bello on Tuesday launched the Niger Special Vigilante Corps (NSVC) aimed at checking the activities of youth gangs, especially in Minna.

Gov Bello launched the special vigilante corps who were drawn from across nine different local security outfits at the State’s Police Command Headquarters, Minna.

He said that the special vigilante corps was to compliment the manpower deficit in the conventional security agencies, such as the Nigeria Police, pointing out that their area of responsibility was within Minna and its environs particularly to tackle the violent activities of youth gangs in the state capital.

According to the governor, “while the security agencies were battling with bandits and other insecurity challenges in the rural areas, a new dimension came in Minna which is unacceptable. We have a situation where we have youths gangs fighting themselves, creating injuries on travelers, that is totally unacceptable.”

The Governor said the State Government and the Police Commissioner, Mr Adamu Usman came up with the idea to integrate all the nine different local security outfits in the state into one special corps.

He however urged parents to live up to their responsibility through good parenting.

The Governor expressed appreciation to the volunteers and assured them of all necessary support while enjoining them to take caution while discharging their duties and as well protect their lives within the purview of law against the youth gangs.

He also commended the security agencies for their fight against banditry, adding, that the bandits must not force people to change their style of living.

“Bandits have forced us to change our way of life in Niger State, they stopped our children from going to school, stopped us from traveling on our roads, stopped farmers from going to the farm and now they are trying to stop our children from going to Islamic schools, but we will not be intimidated, we will not allow that to happen, we will continue to live our normal lives,” he said.

The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Adamu Usman said that the special vigilante corps were trained in the last two weeks to curb youth restiveness in Minna metropolis, the state capital.

The Police boss commended the Niger state’s government approach by empowering the police to train and supervise the activities of the vigilante corps.

The nine vigilante groups that formed the special force are Chinaka, ADC, Abidoka, WAI Brigade, Hunters Group, AOG, Vigilantes, Maito Maitumbi Security Organisation.

Ten Hilux vans, 20 motorcycles with 161 members of the corps were launched as part of phase 1 as the second phase will soon commence and will be replicated in other parts of the state.

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