Insecurity: Nasarawa Govt Bans Ethnic Vigilante Groups

Nasarawa State government has officially outlawed all ethnic vigilante groups that are currently active within the state.

Naija News understands that the announcement follows the emergency security meeting summoned by Governor Abdullahi Sule on Monday.

According to a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, the state government instructed the affected ethnic vigilante groups to surrender their uniforms and weapons to the state commissioner of police within a period of two weeks.

Governor Sule, invoking the authority granted to him under Section 97A of the Penal Code and other relevant statutes, stated that he made this decision based on the recommendations of the state security council.

The banned groups include the Fulani ethnic vigilante group known as the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya, the Bassa vigilante group, and the Eggon vigilante group.

By virtue of Executive Order No. 1 of 2024, which was signed and issued by the governor, the Nasarawa State Government has also prohibited any other association, movement, organization, or society linked to these groups that operate under the guise of ethnic vigilante.

The statement read, “Similar Organisations includes any association, movement or group of persons or society in whatever name called or form, with the aim and objectives of providing security amongst particular ethnic groups within Nasarawa State through the use of force or arms etc,” part of the Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 reads.

It added: “Accordingly, the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad vigilante, Bassa vigilante, Eggon vigilante and other similar organisations are henceforth proscribed, and declared unlawful societies that are inimical to good governance in the state”.

Naija News understands that the State Government has also ordered that the Kungiwar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante, and other related groups surrender all weapons and uniforms to the commissioner of police Nasarawa State within a two-week period starting from the date of the directive.

Below is a copy of the statement as sighted on Channels News on Tuesday.