In response to escalating insecurity, the Nasarawa State Government has taken decisive action by banning all ethnic vigilante groups operating within the state. This development follows an emergency security meeting convened by Governor Abdullahi Sule.
The government issued a statement on Tuesday officially proscribing all ethnic vigilante groups and directing affected groups to surrender their uniforms and weapons to the state Commissioner of Police within two weeks. Governor Sule stated that he acted on the advice of the state security council in implementing this ban.
The ban encompasses prominent groups such as the Fulani ethnic vigilante group known as the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya, the Bassa vigilante group, and the Eggon vigilante group. Executive Order No. 1 of 2024, which outlines the ban, defines affected organizations as any association, movement, or group aimed at providing security among specific ethnic groups in Nasarawa State through the use of force or arms.
In declaring these groups unlawful societies detrimental to good governance in the state, the government has signaled its commitment to addressing security challenges through centralized and regulated security measures.
