The Governor of Niger state, northcentral Nigeria, Abubakar Sani Bello has launched the Niger Special Vigilante Corps (NSVC) in a bid to check the activities of criminal youth gangs, particularly in Minna.
Governor Sani Bello launched the Special vigilante Corps who were drawn from nine different local security outfits at the Police Headquarters, Minna.
The special vigilante corps will compliment the human resource deficit in the conventional security agencies, pointing out that their area of responsibility is within Minna and its environs particularly to tackle the violent activities of youth gangs in the state capital.
The Governor commended the volunteers and assured them of all necessary support while enjoining them to be cautious in the discharge of their duties and protect lives within the purview of the law against criminal youth gangs.
Governor Bello also commended the security agencies for their fight against banditry, while noting that 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 travelling on our roads, stopped farmers from going to farm and now they are trying to stop our children from going to islamic school, 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 noted that the special vigilantes corps were trained in the last two weeks to curb youth restiveness in Minna the state capital.
CP Usman has commended the Niger State approach and lent support by empowering the police to train and supervise the activities of the Vigilante Corps.
The nine vigilante groups which form the special force are Chinaka, ADC, Abidoka, WAI BRIGADE, Hunters Group, AOG, Vigilantes, and Maito Maitumbi Security Organisation.