The Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) has called on the National Assembly to speed up the passage of its bill in order to enhance the nation’s community policing.
The group after its South West meeting comprising of all the commandants of the zone, noted that the speedy passage of the bill would reduce crime rate in every community in the country.
It however appealed to concerned authorities at the senate and presidency to give the bill an express consideration in the interest of the country.
The Deputy Commandant General of VGN, Chief Jimoh Aliyu, stated that, if the group is transformed into a federal agency of community policing, it would assist in crime prevention.
“Nigeria is currently under-policed with an abysmally poor police per population ratio of 187 per 100,000 people which is far cry from the United Nations ratio of 400 per 100,000 people”.
Aliyu stressed that if the bill is passed, the federal community police and the state police will significantly and positively improve internal security and transform policing from reactive to proactive policing.
“The VGN has been on the agitation for the passage of the bill in the past five years to serve as the panacea to the security challenges facing the nation such as kidnapping, ritual killings, insurgency group and ethnic violence,” he said.
Also the deputy commandant of Lagos state, Mr Emmanuel Ayisire said “government should take cognizance of their contributions towards instituting community policing in Nigeria.”
According to him,” the group is committed to promoting community policing, crime control and prevention and to assist Nigeria Police Force in the protection of lives and property.
“The VGN is the only group that has its men domiciled in their areas of operation and they understand the topography and demography of their areas.”
The group, however, appealed to the federal government as well as the National Assembly to fast track the transformation of vigilante group of Nigeria into a federal agency for community policing.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
