Kaduna State community leaders have urged the state government to provide funding to vigilante groups in order to strengthen community policing.
They made the decision in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kaduna.
One of the community leaders, Malam Isiyaku Garba of Kawo, stated that vigilante groups have been working to reduce the threat of insecurity in the state and deserve the government’s support and encouragement.
He stated that the government should assist such groups with logistics, uniforms, and allowances in order to boost morale.
“If the government can pay them a monthly stipend, they’ll go places and force us to sleep with our eyes closed.”
“At the community level, we’ve been providing them with working tools for regular night patrols; they do it for humanity and to keep the communities clean,” Garba explained.
He also advocated for community leaders to be trained to mediate and promote peaceful coexistence within communities.
According to Garba, such training would encourage mutual respect, religious harmony, oneness, and cooperation in dealing with contentious issues within communities.
He urged people to reject ethnic and religious bigotry and to coexist in peace and harmony.
Garba stated that there was a need for ongoing community engagement to address issues that could lead to conflict.
Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim, the District Head of Tudun Wada, has called for the establishment of platforms at the community level to encourage greater participation among members.
He stated that such platforms would teach people the value of peaceful coexistence.