By Uche Amunike
Sequel to the emergency security meeting held by Governor Abdullahi Sule on Monday, the Nasarawa State Government has proscribed all ethnic vigilante groups operating in the state.
The state government has also given the directive that all the affected ethnic vigilante groups should hand over their uniforms and weapons to the state Commissioner of Police within two weeks.
Hear him: ‘We will give them a period of roughly one to two weeks to return their uniforms to us so that we can ensure that they are disbanded. We will also ensure that they are willing to abide by the system in the state and the policies of the government.’
Governor Abdullahi Sule, while standing on the powers vested in him in Section 97A of the Penal Code, including other relevant laws vested in him, he acted on the advice of the Nasarawa State Security Council and banned the Fulani ethnic vigilante group known as the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya, Egbon Vigilante group, as well as the Bassa Vigilante group.
Recall that a 1,144-man Fulani Vigilante group was inaugurated in Nasarawa state by the National President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, which led to his arrest in January 2024, at the Miyetti Allah’s Head Office at Tudun-Maliya Cattle Market, Kilometer 22, along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway in Karu Local Government Area of the state.
Officers of the DSS, including some soldiers of the Nigerian Army stormed the Miyetti Allah’s Head Office where they arrested Bodejo, on January 23, days after he launched the 1,144-man Nomad Volunteer Vigilante Group. During his interrogation, he claimed that essence of launching the group was to fight against banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and all forms of insecurity in Nasarawa State.
His further claimed that he formed the vigilante group based on the instructions given to him by the state governor, Abdullahi Sule. Both the governor and the police, however stated that they had no knowledge of the group.
On March 22, the Federal Government arraigned Bodejo on terrorism charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
On Tuesday, Governor Abdullahi Sule signed and issued an Executive Order No. 1 of 2024, making the Nasarawa State Government to proscribe any other association, movement, organization, or society that is affiliated with the group operating under the guise of ethnic vigilante.
The Executive Order No.1 of 2024 partly read: ‘Similar Organisations includes any association, movement or group of persons or society in whatever name called or form, with the aim and objectives of providing security amongst particular ethnic groups within Nasarawa State through the use of force or arms etc.’
‘Accordingly, the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other similar organizations are henceforth proscribed and declared unlawful societies that are inimical to good governance in the state.’
‘The State Government, therefore, directed that members of the Kungiwar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other similar organizations, to hand all weapons or arms in their possession along with uniforms to the Commissioner of Police Nasarawa State within two weeks from the date of issuance of the order.’
