As we entered into the New Year, I will once more wish to remind you that no police establishment in any part of the world can succeed without the desired need and support of the general public and the community where it is established to serve. In Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force is a creation of various constitution and the laws. Though, the Nigeria Police Force was established to serve as the nucleus of the security network of the country, crime prevention and detection is one of the obligatory duties every citizen of a nation is expected to discharge and if a crime is committed or about to be committed to the knowledge of the citizen and such person or group of persons fail to prevent such a criminal, such act may be held liable for such an act or omission of criminality. Hence, it thus becomes obligatory duty on the part of the general public to complement the efforts of the police and other law enforcement agents in crime prevention and detection.
In this direction, there are several ways that you can complement the police efforts in combating crime and criminality. Formation of vigilante groups has become one of the popular and successful methods by which the members of the public complement the role of the police in crime fighting. In this case, a group of dedicated citizens, able bodied men and the youths would form themselves into vigilante groups for the purpose of maintaining security within their areas of domicile. Vigilante groups normally engage in patrol and guard duty, armed at preventing house breaking, theft, armed robbery and other related offences in their respective communities, particularly in the night time. In Kwara State, vigilante group, especially in the state capital have become a formidable means of foiling crime. Members of this group are usually seen in the night at every street rendering their obligatory duty of crime prevention, their mere presence in the street could serve as a way of checking the activities of nefarious hoodlums.
In fact, experience has shown that vigilante groups have on several occasions assisted the police apprehending armed robbery suspects and other suspects. In the midst of this good work by the vigilante group, there are complaints from the general public of overzealousness of misuse of power or act of brutality on the part of some members of vigilante groups
To be continued
