Jungle justice: Vigilantes get warning

The Anambra State Police command has cautioned vigilante groups against taking laws into their hands in their course of fighting crime.

Police Commissioner John Abang spoke at the weekend at the inauguration of Omagu Vigilance Group at Otuocha Police Divisional Headquarters in Anambra East Local Government.

Abang, who spoke through Divisional Police Officer Etta Baba, urged members to operate in accordance with the law.

He said: “Once you make an arrest, please don’t beat that person. Instead, bring the suspect to the police station alive. We will take it from there and ensure the suspect is prosecuted in accordance to the law. Don’t beat susp ects up, to avoid killing them.

“Any thief you bring to the station must be imprisoned I promise you. Any information you can provide to help us deal with criminals will be utilised well. The ones you can solve, solve, but those you cannot handle, give them to the police.”

Abang stressed that the command supports local vigilance groups because the police alone could not effectively checkmate crime, especially at the community level.

He said most policemen posted to the area were strangers, and there were places only the group can penetrate.

“It’s not possible to see policemen everywhere; that’s why it’s imperative that police work closely with local vigilance groups to do a better job of policing at the grassroots,” he added.

Director of Security and Vigilante Services Daniel Ekweoba explained the youth decided to form the Omagu vigilance group to provide security at Omagu-Umuoji camp of Umuoba Anam.

“Our security challenge is becoming worrisome and because of the long distance, the vigilance group at Otuocha main town finds it difficult to extend its operations to Omagu-Umuoji camp,” he noted.

Ekweoba thanked the government and the police for establishing the group.

He promised that its members would operate according to rules and assist the police in tackling crime.

“Our members will never take laws into their hands; we will do whatever we can to rid the area of criminal elements,” he added.