Nasarawa govt bans ethnic vigilante groups

The Nasarawa State Government has proscribed all ethnic vigilante groups operating in the state.

The development followed the emergency security meeting convened by Governor Abdullahi Sule.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the government, the order 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.

Sule 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.

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”.