The governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule, after an extraordinary security meeting at the state capital, has proscribed all ethnic vigilante groups operating in the state, with immediate effect.
The pronouncement was made public in a statement released on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024. The statement also said the state government has equally directed ethnic vigilante groups affected by the order, to hand over their uniforms and weapons to the state commissioner of police within two weeks.
The governor, Citing the powers vested in him via section 97A of the penal code, as well as other relevant laws, said he acted on the advice of the state security council and has banned the Fulani ethnic vigilante group known as the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya, Bassa vigilante group, as well as the Eggon vigilante group.
Through executive order no. 1 of 2024, signed by the governor and issued, the Nasarawa state government also banned any other association, movement, organization or society affiliated with the group operating under the guise of ethnic vigilante.
The statement read, “Similar organisations include any association, movement or group of persons or society in whatever name called or form, with the aim and objectives of providing security amongst particular ethnic groups within Nasarawa State through the use of force or arms etc,” part of the Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 reads.
“Accordingly, the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad vigilante, Bassa vigilante, Eggon vigilante, and other similar organisations are henceforth proscribed, and declared unlawful societies that are inimical to good governance in the state”.
