Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) has faulted agitations for the creation of state police, arguing that its officers are currently functioning in that regard and only need support to effectively fill the void.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) officer of the group, Yusuf Ibrahim Tanimola, stated this in an interview with reporters in Calabar.
Tanimola, who spoke on the sidelines of VGN’s national data capturing exercise in Cross River State, said passage of the bill providing legal backing for VGN has since given the group impetus to redouble its effort in providing security for Nigerians in all the 774 local councils of the country.
He said: “We have come a long way in providing security for our people, especially at the grassroots because we are the only security outfit with our officers in all the nooks and crannies of this country, and who know everyone living or doing business there. All we need to perform optimally is the government’s support in the area of funding and logistics. Then insecurity in Nigeria would be reduced drastically.”
He said the data generated from the national image capturing exercise will form a formidable database of its men across the country. He added: “We want to let you know that VGN is a voluntary organisation. Some people were killed; they don’t know why they were killed. Some people know they may be killed but they are ready to face the enemy because of their love for the security of the life and property of fellow citizens. They are paid salaries, pension and gratuity.
“For us, we are volunteering, even though we know we may be killed; no pension, no gratuity. This is the highest act of patriotism. We have spread across Nigeria, we have over one million members.”
