Haram: Report Warns of Dangers of “abandoning” vigilante

Nigeria’s North-east could suffer further criminality and insecurity, if the federal government fails to invest in exit programmes for thousands of vigilantes who have helped in fighting Bolo Haram insurgents, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned. A new report titled Vigilantes shows that Nigeria’s CJTF (Civilian Joint Task Force) and similar vigilantes in these other countries, such as Uganda, South Sudan and Sierra Leone, have assisted governements in providing local security. According to a press statement issued by Nnamdi Obasi, Senior, Adviser, ICG, on Nigerian CJTF vigilantes, the report observed that by participating in efforts to counter Boko Haram, they ‘‘acted as a bridge between civilians and security forces, helping the state regain a measure of local legitimacy while protecting the local community”. It further urged that the Nigerian and other governments ‘formulate and implement policies and programmes for returning vigilantes to normal life, as conflicts end.