AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF VIGILANTE GROUPS IN KADUNA METROPOLIS: 1983 - 1993

Abstract

Around 1982, a local security arrangement emerged spontaneously in Kaduna metropolis to contain the incursion of members of Kalakato, the remnants of Kano Maitatsine. The incursion started from Rigasa, an outskirts of Kaduna and spilled into Tudun-Wada, Kaduna. The fanatics clashed with the Police. who retreated. In an effort to track down the Police, the fanatics ended up attacking innnocent citizens. The community therefore formed a local security arrangement and defended themselves. A year later, community leaders in Tudun-Wada decided to form a self appointed group formally in order to supplement Police efforts in crime control. So, the purpose of this study is to find out the events which had given birth to the emergence of the self-appointed group known as vigilante group in Kaduna metropolis. The public vigilance exhibited by the vigilante group is found to be effective - over 23,512 arrests were made between September 1990 and July 1994, while about 1,835 former offenders are benefiting from community based programme, in welding, carpentry, shop assistance, and blacksmithing trades. In addition, the vigilante groups smashed the youth gangs of larcenors and rapists in Tudun-Wada, which terrorised the public. The self-help approach given to this local security arrangement is worthy to emulation by other states of the federation because of its advantages. It is hoped that the work will stimulate further study with a view to harmonising the activities of the vigilante group with those of the Police for a wider and most effective security coverage.