Barring vigilantes from carrying guns ill-advised – FCT residents

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have berated the decision of the FCT Administration (FCTA) to bar vigilantes from carrying dane guns. Residents who spoke with our reporter on Monday said the security situation in the territory, especially in satellite towns, might worsen if vigilantes were not allowed to carry guns. A resident, Ibrahim […]

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have berated the decision of the FCT Administration (FCTA) to bar vigilantes from carrying dane guns.

Residents who spoke with our reporter on Monday said the security situation in the territory, especially in satellite towns, might worsen if vigilantes were not allowed to carry guns.

A resident, Ibrahim Aliyu, said the vigilantes had been playing important roles in assisting the conventional security agents to tackle insecurity across the FCT, especially in the rural areas where there had been cases of kidnapping.

He said, “I don’t think the decision of the FCTA to bar vigilantes from carrying guns is the best; rather, the government should support and motivate them by allowing them to carry guns.”

He further said, “Like at Pegi community in Kuje Area Council, many people have been forced to relocate because of incessant cases of kidnapping, but with the help of the vigilantes, the security situation in that place is getting better now.”

Another resident, Christopher Abraham, who resides in Kwali Area Council, also said that barring vigilantes from carrying guns would worsen the security situation in the territory, especially in the rural areas, noting that kidnappers might take advantage of such a decision to lay siege on people’s houses.

He said, “I have seen how the vigilantes have been able to summon courage to foil several kidnap attempts in some places and also rescued kidnapped victims. And they did all these with the aid of locally made guns.”

He, therefore, advised that the FCTA should shelve the idea of barring the vigilantes from carrying guns, especially with the current security threat in the territory.

Mukaila Musa, another resident, said many villagers who fell victims of banditry were rescued by the vigilantes.

He said, “Example, there are communities that have been displaced as a result of the activities of bandits, and it seems the security agents cannot do the work alone except with the support of the vigilantes, and you can’t expect them to go into the forests bare hands.”

He, therefore, advised the FCTA to rescind the decision, saying allowing vigilantes to carry guns would tame kidnapping and other crimes in the FCT, especially at the satellite towns.