Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) has charged the National Assembly’s Committee on Constitutional Amendment to consider incorporating the group into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for better performance.
This was sequel to a proposal submitted by the VGN to the National Assembly (NASS) through the House of Representatives.
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While briefing newsmen after submitting the proposal, the commandant-general of VGN, Navy Captain Umar Bakori (rtd) said it was necessitated by the need to support the activities of the vigilantes rather than establishing state police, which according to him, will only create more problems for Nigeria.
He also pointed out that under former President Buhari administration over N13billion was approved for community policing but nothing significant has been achieved.
“In 2020, the federal government approved N13.3 billion for the take-off of a community policing initiative across the country under the state governors for 40,000 volunteers. The fund is for training and purchase of accouterments but so far there is nothing to show for the huge funds allocated for community policing,” he said.
He stressed the need for the federal government to as a matter of urgency ascent to the bill seeking to establish the VGN which is currently before the president adding that for over 30 years the group had collaborated with security agencies in tackling all forms of criminality and banditry in all parts of the country.
“Our bill is at present awaiting presidential assent, having passed third reading at the National Assembly, what is stopping the President from signing the bill into law?” he asked.
Bakori, however, expressed the commitment of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria under his leadership to continue to collaborate with all security agencies in order to address the issues of banditry, kidnappings and other forms of security challenges ravaging the nation.