The Niger state House of Assembly has promulgated a law empowering vigilantes in the state to carry arms to surmount banditry and other security challenges.
The passage of the law Wednesday followed the adoption of recommendations by the House Committee on Security, Intelligence and Judiciary on the amendment of the state Vigilante Corps Law 2012.
The committee chaired by Honourable Jibrin Ndagi Baba and co-chaired by Honourable Bello Ahmad also recomended the use of the squad to police rural communities against activities of bandits and kidnappers.
The committee’s recommendation stated: “That it is a better platform to be used to police rural communities against the activities of bandits and kidnappers and that arming the vigilante would add value to their performance within the security architecture of the state.”
The Assembly also adopted the committee’s recommendation for the establishment of local government structures of the Vigilante Corps, stating that, “that Special Adviser to the Governor on Security ought to be a member of the Advisory Committee.”
The speaker of the assembly, Barrister Bawa Wuse, in passing the amended bill directed the Clerk to make available clean copies to the governor of the state, Abubakar Sani Bello.
