File: Policemen

The Lagos State Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) on Saturday appealed to both the Nigerian Police and Kosofe Local Government Council Area to support and accommodate the chapter there.

The state commandant of the VGN, Otunba James Udoma, made the appeal at the inauguration of the Kosofe Local Government Council Chapter of VGN in Lagos.

Udoma was represented by Mr Tajudeen Opeyemi, the Lagos State Deputy Commandant of VGN.

According to him, the Nigerian Police has been at the forefront of the creation of the vigilante group in the country.

“The VGN has been and is still under the tutelage of the Nigerian Police.

“We are the baby of the police and they have given us the authority to arrest and hand over suspected criminals in the community to them for further investigation.

“Those being inaugurated today must continue to give the police their full complements and respect other security agencies,’’ he said.

Udoma said that the vigilantes lived within their various communities and understand their terrains very well, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

He said that using the traditional and community policing methods, the vigilantes should work as intermediaries between their communities and the police.

Also, the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Council, Mr Babatunde Shofola, said that the council was happy to welcome the VGN as one of the security agencies in the area.

Shofola, represented by Mr Oyetayo Oyeyemi, the Council’s Supervisor for Agriculture and Socials; said the council would work with the VGN to ensure security of lives and property of people within the local government.

He said that he believed the presence of the VGN alongside other security agencies, would further strengthen security in the local government.

CSP Gbenga Olorunfemi, the DPO Ogudu, Police Station, said the police relied on the fact that every member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria belonged to one community or another.

He said that the vigilantes should, therefore, understand the cultures of their various communities, the people as well as those with questionable characters there.

Olorunfemi said that the police expected them to always be at alert and knew how to handle criminals.

He said that the vigilantes should always respect the human rights of criminals.

He advised them that they should not assault criminals apprehended by them but tie or chain the stubborn ones among them pending when the police would arrive at the scene to pick them up.

The DPO also advised the VGN to document the profiles of their members with the police stations at Ogudu, Oworo, Anthony and Ibafo respectively.

He said they should not take bribe or engage in shoddy businesses, adding that they should watch out for those who would duplicate their uniforms to commit crimes.

Col. Muibi Mufutau, the Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Lagos State, urged the newly inaugurated vigilantes to be disciplined.

According to him, discipline is part of every paramilitary organisation as well as respect for their seniors.

Mufutau, also the Chairman of Nigerian Legion, Kosofe Local Government; said that the vigilantes should not take laws into their hands and should not engage themselves in petty matters.

Some of those at the occasion are: Mr Moruff Ogunlana, Corps Officer, Lagos Neigbourhood Security Corps (LNSC) and Mr Afolabi Oluwatemiwa, Officer, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).