- There has been increasing cases of reported killings of innocent Nigerians by men of Neighbourhood Watch, Vigilante Group in S/East zone
- Odo, Enugu-based legal practitioner blames poor training, equipment on the increasing menace
- He advises government on proper funding, good remuneration to stem the tide
In recent times, there has been increasing incidents of unprovoked brutality on the citizens by members of Neighbourhood Watch and Vigilantee group in the South East zone.
Many a time, such could be in the form of illegal detention, inflicting of injuries on their suspects and at worst, outright extra-judicial killing of those suspects.
Rationale behind creation of neighbhourhood Watch/Vigilante Group
Investigations by our reporter revealed that Neighbourhood Watch and Vigilante Group were created to compliment the efforts of the Nigeria Police towards effective policing with a view to providing effective security in the society. Most of the vigilante group was drafted from the community dwellers who know all the nooks and crannies of their respective communities were they operate.
In fact, in so many communities in the South East zone, police are not allowed to adjudicate in so many civil matters in those communities. Neighbourhood watch or Vigilante Group are given the right to decide the case to avoid further escalation in any form.
The said communities see police involvement in civil matters in their communities as washing their dirty linen outside.
With this and many other reasons, vigilante group or neighbourhood watch is seen as part of peace making in those communities while providing security to the community dwellers.
Neighbourhood Watch and Vigilante Group are interwoven because they do virtually the same work. In Enugu state for instance, those security outfits are paid monthly stipend by the state governor.
But, recently, those security outfits have allegedly turned into a proverbial dog that eats bone hung around its neck.
Findings by WITHIN NIGERIA showed that hardly will a month pass without a member of these security outfits either willingly or unwillingly killing one of innocent citizens in the zone.
In any case, on April 23, 2024 youths of Okwu Uratta community in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state ran rampage in the community, following the killing of a youth of the area, identified as Friday Njoku allegedly by the vigilante group members operating in the community.
Our reporter gathered that houses, shops, a car, motorcycles, household equipment and wares suspected to belong to the members of the vigilante group were set ablaze as a result.
An indigene of the community who spoke to newsmen on a condition of anonymity said that the youths accused the leader of the vigilante group, Emmanuel Abakporo who is an officer of the state command of the Nigeria Correctional Service of allegedly supervising the killing of Njoku.
Nevertheless, report had it that angered by the death of Mr. Njoku, the youths stormed the suspect’s house and on meeting his absence, they beat his son to stupor, went to his wife’s shop and set it ablaze.
They were also said to have returned to his house, set it ablaze together with his car, motorcycles and household equipment.
The source equally stated that “our community is on fire. The youths are on rampage. A young man by name Friday Njoku was killed on Sunday and his body dumped there. People saw that it was the security people in the community that shot him dead.
“On Tuesday morning, the youths grouped and stormed the house of the leader of the security men but met his absence. They beat his son to stupor and went to his wife’s shop and destroyed everything there. They returned to his house and set it ablaze.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, said that the state commissioner of police, Danjuma Aboki, had sent men to the scene for a rescue mission.
Okoye said that investigation into what transpired had been launched by the command with a view of bringing the offenders to justice.
However, four days after the above incident, the Anambra State Police Command on April 27, 2024 said it had arrested two persons for their involvement in the alleged torturing to death of a 60-year-old man in Nza Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The deceased, identified as Mr Kenneth, was tortured to death by some of his kinsmen, including members of the vigilante operatives over a property dispute.
He had sold a water tank in the family house to address some family issues, an act that allegedly prompted his younger brother to arrest him with the help of a vigilante group.
The victim was said to have been tied to a stake with his two hands also tied and was continuously flogged by members of the vigilante operatives engaged by his younger brother.
A source in the community explained that, “the incident happened some days ago and the man was accused of selling their family water tank. His younger brother went to engage about five vigilante operatives who came to flog him.
“They tied his two hands and continuously flogged him with sticks and other weapons until he became unconscious. They left him after they had seen that he was no longer breathing.
“His wife and children have been subjected to fear and intimidation as they have vowed to deal with them if they continue to seek justice for the death of their father.”
The state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident after several enquiries on Friday said one vigilante operatives and a relative of the deceased had been arrested.
In any case, before the Imo and Anambra incidents, On April 18, 2024 A popular restaurant owner, identified simply as Oforma (Ofor Onye Ofe Olubu) was on Monday night shot dead at Ogrute roundabout in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State allegedly by Neighbourhood Watch operatives in the area.
However, in a video posted on Facebook that Monday, a security vehicle belonging to the neighborhood watch group was seen in flames as it was set ablaze by irate youths who trooped out to confront the security operatives.
According to an eye witness, the security team was said to have gone to arrest a suspect in Offor’s restaurant but were resisted by some boys. The situation degenerated into a fist fight between the restaurant owner and the security operatives.
In the ensuing fracas, he was shot in the back by one of the security operatives. The eyewitness further narrated that on seeing what had happened, the security men took to their heels, abandoning their vehicle which was later set ablaze by the angry youths.
The victim was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital Ogrute where he was confirmed dead in the early hours of Tuesday.
Chairman of the local government, the state government and other relevant agencies to commence an urgent investigation to bring the culprits to justice.
The Police is yet to react to the development at the time of filing this report.
Recall also that on December 23, 2023,Abia State Police Command arrested two men, Onyebuchi Ukandu and Emmanuel Onyebuenyi, members of the Mbutu/Umuojima Vigilante in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government area of the state for allegedly torturing a man to death.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, revealed this in a statement that Friday while parading the suspects.
According to the statement, the victim, Alex Ukaegbu, was in charge of a building site in Osisioma.
WITHIN NIGERIA also gathered that the suspects allegedly chained the victim and demanded a sum of money to be paid before releasing him but he died in their custody.
The statement by the PRO stated that, “At about 10 am on December 1, a complainant reported at Osisioma Division that on November 30 at about 9 am, he was informed on the phone that his elder brother, Alex Ukaegbu, who resides in the Tonimas area of Osisioma, who was also in charge of a building site same area was arrested by members of the Mbutu/Umuojima Vigilante Unit Osisioma on December 29 at about 5 pm with some pieces of iron rods.
“The vigilante allegedly chained him in their office and were negotiating his release for the sum of N50,000. Unfortunately, Alex Ukaegbu died while in their custody.
“Following this report, police operatives were dispatched to the scene for investigations and the lifeless body of Alex Ukaegbu was deposited at Alanwemadu Mortuary Osisioma for preservation.
“The vigilante commander, Ukandu Onyebuchi, and Emmanuel Onyebuenyi have been arrested and the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, the PPRO said.
February 28,
Also on February 28, 2024,the police command in Imo State arrested one Chinenye Nwaneri, a member of the Umuodu vigilante group over alleged involvement in the murder of a young lady, Chienyenwa Nnodu, whose lifeless body was seen inside a gutter in front of an uncompleted building at Madumere Street, Christ Road.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye stated that “CP Aboki Danjuma, the state police commissioner, said an investigation revealed that she was seen last with her alleged lover Chinenye Nwaneri ‘m’, of No 43 Christ Church Road, Owerri, trekking down to his house very late in the night on 5/01/2024.”
According to Mr. Okoye, “Following a distress call received from Bishop Silas Anoruo ‘m’ on 7/1/2024, that the lifeless body of a young lady was seen inside a gutter in front of his uncompleted building at Madumere Street, Christ Road, Owerri, Operatives of Owerri Urban Divisional Headquarters mobilized to scene, recovered the corpse and deposited same at Imo State for autopsy.
“The preliminary investigation unveiled the identity of the deceased as Chienyenwa Nnodua and further revealed that she was seen last with her alleged lover Chinenye Nwaneri ‘m’, of No 43 Christ Church Road, Owerri, trekking down to his house very late in the night on 5/01/2024.
“This raised suspicion which prompted the determined operatives to invite Chinenye Nwaneri, a member of the Umuodu vigilante group, for questioning.
“On interrogation, Chinenye Nwaneri initially denied knowing the deceased but later confessed after he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) that he was with the deceased the night before she was found dead in a gutter but denied that she was his lover.
“Competent witnesses, including the sister of the deceased and a vigilante member who was on night guard duty with him, volunteered statements to the police.
“The sister of the deceased stated that the suspect was her late sister’s boyfriend for four years, narrating further that her sister informed her on 5/02/2024 that she was going to spend a night in the suspect’s house.
“The vigilante who was on night duty with the suspect stated that he saw him at midnight with the deceased along Christ Church Road while on foot patrol.
“Investigation is still ongoing; the body of the deceased has been sent to a forensic pathologist to ascertain the cause of death. The case will be charged to court pending the outcome of the investigation.”
Last year also witnessed countless brutalities of theses security outfits as on December 25, 2023, a 21-year-old man, Kelvin Onyedikachi Ochioka, was allegedly killed by a trigger-happy vigilante member in Edo State after a woman raised an alarm, alleging that the deceased was a thief.
Ochioka, a telephone accessories hawker from Ebonyi State was gunned down at 23, Erhunmwunsee Street, off Ehakpen Street, Uzebu Quarters, Benin City at about 3:34pm on December 25, 2023.
According to the reports, the vigilante armed with a single barrel gun, clad in mufti, on hearing the woman shouting, “thief oh! thief oh!!”, scaled his fence to open fire on Kelvin.
The victim’s friend, Mr. Salas said Kelvin had a minor quarrel with the woman alarmist popularly known as “Nurse,” over musical sound from their MP3 in the compound.
He added that a few hours after the verbal confrontation, the said woman started shouting ‘thief oh! thief oh’ on sighting his friend, and the vigilante shot him in the stomach.
Residents condemned the killing and charged the police to ensure justice is served.
They queried the action of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Evbuotubu Police Station for allowing the woman to be walking freely after the incident.
Spokesperson of the Edo State police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the killing, saying the woman that raised the ‘false alarm’ was arrested and granted bail as investigation is ongoing.
Recall also that in July 2022, a 20-year old boy, Philip Okoro Jnr in Nkpologu community, Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state was allegedly shot dead by members of Vigilantee group led by the then Chief Security Officer of the local government, Barr. Chijioke Ezugwu.
Our source explained that ” by 1am on that Wednesday, the Chief Security Officer and about five of his Neighborhood Watch members invaded Umuobira village and started shooting sporadically in the air.
“They forcefully entered into the house of one of our community dwellers, Mr. Philip Okoro Jnr shot him on the stomach with his intestine open and took three other persons to Police Area command, Nsukka, alleging that they were bad guys terrorizing the community and taking hard drugs popularly known as Mkpuru Mmiri”
An eye witness who pleaded anonymity narrated that “in the morning when the community dwellers learnt of what happened, they went to Police Area Command, Nsukka in their numbers with the President General, PG of the community, Joseph Alumuna to lodge their complaint.
“On getting to the Area Command, the PG told the police that Mr. Okoro , a 20 year old boy and three other persons taken to the police station by the Neighborhood Watch were not bad guys as alleged by the Chief Security Officer. They were immediately released and the Chief Security Officer was immediately arrested by the police while his fellow members went into hiding”
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the victim, Mr. Okoro was taken to Bishop Shanahan hospital, Nsukka where he was transfused with four pints of blood.
However, as the situation became worse, he was subsequently refered to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH Enugu.
On Thursday afternoon, it was gathered that the victim, Mr. Okoro had died at UNTH, Enugu following the bullet wounds he sustained during the attack.
Nevertheless, angered by the latest development, angry youths besieged the houses of the suspects and set them ablaze.
Reactions to the upsurge in the killings
Reacting to the ugly the ugly trend, a media influencer Emmanuel Dollars condemned the stressing it is a criminal offence for these security outfits to point guns at the innocent citizens.
According to him, “pointing a gun at a civilian is a big offence. Killing an innocent man is another offence. The issue remains that the security personnel is not a professional in the field of security. He should face the judgment and the justice must run its full course.”
However, reacting to the ugly development, Enugu-based legal practitioner, Barr. Onuora Odo stated that the situation is becoming worrisome.
Barr. Odo , a Labour Party Chieftain in Enugu State, also spoke on the urgent need to rejig the neighborhood watch security outfits in the State.
Odo who is the Chairmanship Candidate of Labour Party in Igbo-Eze North equally lent his voice on the need to sanitize and rejig the neighborhood watch security outfit, following the recent avoidable killings of innocent people by officers and men of Neighbourhood Watch security outfit.
In an exclusive chat with WITHIN NIGERIA, Odo expressed his disappointment over the modus operandi of the security outfit. According to him, it’s really worrisome that an outfit that was created to protect lives and property has now turned out to be killers of same people they are supposed to protect.
Speaking further, he posited that the purpose for the creation of the outfit has been defeated.
“The purpose for the creation of Neighbourhood Watch has been defeated. This is because if you check the number of innocent people they have sent to their early grave, you find out that it is getting out of hand. It has become a recurring decimal. It happens everyday. Take for instance, the latest incident of killing of Oforma Ugwu in Enugu-Ezike, it is an avoidable incident. If the security people were properly trained, they would have the necessary skills to handle such seemingly combustible situation.”
On the way forward, Odo pointed out some of the loopholes and advised the government of the day to do the needful. He also pointed out areas that the government should address.
According to him, “pointing a gun at a civilian is a big offence. Killing an innocent man is another offence. The issue remains that the security personnel is not a professional in the field of security. He should face the judgment and the justice must run its full course.”
“The major reasons by this incessant killing by men and officers of Neighbourhood Watch and other local security outfits is because they lack proper training. Again, most of them are always on cheap drugs. They are not trained on how to use arms and ammunition. The issue of drug should be looked into.”
Stressing further, Barr. Odo said that “the state government that is responsible for the creation of neighbourhood watch especially in Enugu state should have people especially from the retired military personnel, retired police officer and what have you. These people should train them. It is not about training them before you deploy them. The training should be continual.”
He emphasized that 90% of officers and men of Neighbourhood Watch security outfit is not properly trained. He further noted that in most cases, some of them are almost always on cheap drugs to the extent that the temptation to shoot, whether provoked or unprovoked, is on the high side.
Again, they are not properly funded. That’s why you see them dabbling into duties that are not within their jurisdictional competence.
“These days, officers and men of Neighbourhood Watch security outfit treat issues like marriage issues, land issues, debt recovery, assault and what have you. The truth is that you don’t arm a man who is hungry.
“The person has a very high tendency of resorting to crime in order to put food on his table. Also, the recruitment process should be looked into. This is because it will be counter productive if a drug addict or someone with a criminal record is recruited. I want to advise that there is an urgent need to sanitize the outfit for a better operational efficiency.
“On a final note, I want to appeal to the government of the day to, as a matter of urgency, constitute a Security Advisory Committee that will be saddled with the responsibility of advising, training and re-training of the body”, he concluded.