The Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) weekend said the arms used by their personnel are duly registered and cleared by their supervising agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
VGN also said it is doing a lot behind the scene in collaboration with security agencies to ensure that Nigeria is safe and secured.
The Commander General of the VGN, Navy Captain Umar Bakori (retd), who stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja, said the ban from bearing arms issued by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Security Committee does not affect VGN.
Blueprint report that the FCT Security Committee, had last week introduced a Code of Conduct for vigilance groups operating in the territory, placing a ban on the use of firearms by their members.
The new Code of Conduct also prohibited vigilance groups from carrying out operations without the presence of the police or the express approval of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in their respective jurisdictions.
But reacting, Bakori said the VGN is responsible for the security of public schools within the FCT and cannot discharge such huge task without arms.
He said, “Our men are in posted to secure the schools in the FCT, we are in all the schools including the University of Abuja and we can’t do this without arms. The Vigilance Group of Nigeria is doing a lot behind the scene to ensure that our country is secured.
“For instance, since the US issued the terror alert, we’ve not slept, our men have been deployed all over the FCT collaborating with other security agencies. We are also present in all the states of the Federation, in the South West, our members are part of the Amotekun, in the Southeast, they are also part of Ebubeagu”.
Speaking on remuneration for VGN personnel, Bakori, explained that, “our men are not paid a dime for the work they do, they are just volunteers who are passionate about securing their country”.
Meanwhile, the Director of Information and Communication in the FCT, Muhammad Hazat Sule had in a statement said, members of the vigilance groups are permitted to possess and use weapons for self-defence or other lawful purposes as allowed by the DPO.
He said, the new approved code required that any member of the group, who recovers a hazardous weapon from a criminal suspect is expected to keep a detailed account and report to the police for further investigation.
“The Committee permitted the vigilante group to make arrests of anyone, who violates the laws of the land as allowed under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015”.
