By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, July 7, 2018 (NAN) The Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) has been inaugurated in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos State to enhance community policing in the area.
Inaugurating the chapter on Saturday, the Lagos State Commandant of VGN, Chief James Udoma, urged the police to accommodate the group in the security architecture of the area.
“The VGN has been and is still under the tutelage of the Nigeria Police.
“We are the baby of the police and they have given us power to arrest and hand over suspected criminals in the community to them for further investigation.
“Those being inaugurated today should continue to give the police their full complements and respect to all the other security agencies,’’ he said.
Udoma, who was represented by his deputy, Tajudeen Opeyemi, said that members of the VGN lived within their community and had good knowledge of their terrains.
He said that the vigilantes worked as intermediaries between their communities and the police, using the traditional and community policing methods.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr Babatunde Shofola, Chairman, Kosofe Local Government, said that the council was happy to welcome VGN as one of the security agencies in the area.
Shofola, who was represented by Mr Oyetayo Oyeyemi, the council’s Supervisor for Agriculture and Social Development, said the council would work with the VGN to ensure the security of lives and property in the area.
He said that the presence of the VGN would further strengthen security in the area.
Mr Gbenga Olorunfemi, Ogudu Divisional Police Officer Ogudu, said that since every VGN member belonged to a particular community, they should be able to identify people with questionable characters.
He advised VGN members against mishandling suspects and urged them to always respect human rights before handing suspects over to the police.
The DPO also urged VGN to document its members with relevant police stations and watch out for those who would duplicate their uniforms for criminal activities. (NAN)