Security: Expert tasks LGs on capacity building for vigilance groups
Mr Ademola Olufowobi, a security expert, has urged local government councils to ensure capacity building of their vigilance groups to boost intelligence gathering, use of fire arms and security surveillance.
Olufowobi, in an interview with the newsmen in Epe on Monday, said such could be done by enrolling them into Police College for proper trainings to enhance professionalism.
According to him, the training becomes necessary to properly boost their mental alertness, strategies and better ways of fighting crimes in their domains.
He added that such would also go a long way in properly regulate and checkmate the activities of the local vigilance groups.
“Some of the members of the vigilance groups are not well trained on the use of fire arms, thereby abusing the opportunity.
“It is therefore important to send them for training on the use of ammunition, fire arms, intelligence gathering and security surveillance,’’ he said.
Olufowobi recalled an incident in June 2023 in Epe, Lagos, where a member of the local vigilance groups carelessly shot dead an innocent individual.
“A lot of unpalatable incident has happened under the watch of the local vigilance group in communities and needed to be addressed.
“The police college training will educate, enlighten and expose them on adequate security surveillance, proper use of fire arms and how to conduct themselves in the public,’’ he said.
He also said the training would enhance their capacity in intelligence gathering for better security services.
He noted that only the registered vigilances groups should be given the training, suggesting that it should last for the period of three months or more.
The security expert said that local vigilance groups were established to complement the effort of the government security agencies to ensure adequate security at the grassroots.
He mentioned some of the registered vigilance groups as; Vigilance Group of Nigeria(VGN), Ibile group, Odua’s People’s Congress(OPC), Muwan group, Agbekoya group, United Security Forum among several others.
“It is important that our personnel are trained, so that they can deliver better and professional services in terms of intelligence gathering improve surveillance and contribute to securing the state.
“I think the Federal Government is beginning to appreciate the need for an organisation like VGN in the internal security framework.
“The local vigilante groups are very salient factor in the tools for keeping internal security at the grassroots.
“For you to be a security officer anywhere, you should understand the topography and demography of the place, environment and local vigilance groups have these advantages.’’ he said.
He added that the members of the local vigilance groups are domiciled where they are operating, they live and work in these places, areas and they know criminals’ hotspots.
“Majority of the members of the vigilance groups are civilians and it is important that they be given proper training to enhance professionalism and capacity to deliver, ” he said.
Olufowobi applauded the efforts of Epe Local Government, under the leadership of Ms Surah Animashaun, for ensuring adequate security at the grassroots via strong relationship with government security agencies and the local vigilante groups.
