Delta vigilante groups advised against being used by politicians

By: Omonigho Matthew
From: Udu


Delta State vigilante groups have been advised to ensure that their members are carefully selected and trained before they are admitted so as to avoid being used as tools by politicians against perceived oppositions.

The advice was given at a recent seminar organized by the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence (FJHD) held at Ovwian in Udu local government area of Delta State by a Delta State University lecturer, Barr. Rufus Olarewaju and Hon. Sam Okoro.

In their separate lectures titled, “The local vigilante, the Police and Human Rights” and “Local Vigilante: A Veritable Community Policing Tool for Checking the Incidence of Multiple Violent Crimes in Nigeria: A Critical Look”, both Barr. Rufus Olarewaju and Hon. Sam Okoro opined that the failure of the police led to the emergence of vigilante, even as they acknowledged that the police have done their bit. They accused some members of the vigilante groups of being used to perpetuate evil in their communities.

They advised the vigilante groups not to kill people in the discharge of their duties, thus frustrating the true essence of their service.

The speakers also advocated better funding of both the police and vigilante groups in Delta State as well as provision of communication gadgets and transportation means for them.

For his part, the Udu Area Commander ably represented by Mr. Sunday Ekpedem said the vigilante groups are really helping the police in no small measure but noted that they are under the supervision of the police hence the issue of the police not doing their job is not true.

He used the medium to also appeal for proper funding and training for the advancement of local vigilantes and members of the Nigeria police in other to aid them in the discharge of their assignment.

The Commander of the Ughelli vigilante, Mr. Monday Ohwesiri, blamed the government for the increase in crime. According to him, “if we catch any criminal, the next you hear is a phone call asking you to release the person in your custody”, the calls he said are mainly from top government officials. Such behaviour he explained has landed some members of the vigilante group in Nigeria prisons, Warri.

He said what the vigilante lack at the moment is mobility and fund. He also used the medium to appreciate the Ughelli South Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Ibru for donating seven Hilux buses for the vigilante and three Hilux buses for the Nigeria police in the local government. In his words, “this is the only chairman that is encouraging the vigilante”.

The National Coordinator for the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, Barr. Oghenejabor Ikimi in his contribution said the idea behind the seminar is to teach the vigilante groups in Delta State certain Human Rights principles.

He pointed out that the programme is not sponsored by government or any politician as alleged by some members of the public, adding that one of the aims of the seminar is to disabuse the minds of the vigilante members from being used by politicians for stealing ballot boxes in the 2011 general elections.