Those who conspired with the Inspector General of Police to ban Edo State Security and Vigilante Network, for political reasons are now ashamed to tell Nigerians the level of worsening security crisis in Edo State. The ban has exposed that ESSN was more effective than the Nigeria Police in terms of crime control in the State. The reality is that the police are helpless in crime control in the state.
Recall that before the September 21 governorship election, the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun had announced a ban on the activities of the ESSN. The presence of the network has helped reduce crime and criminality since its creation in the state. I appeal to the IGP as a matter of urgent security importance to reinstate a date for the resumption of the suspended local vigilante. The suspension of which was due to the election which is now concluded. Unfortunately, the IGP was fast in responding to the ban of ESSN but slow today to stop the worsening security crisis in Edo State.
The same people who almost ate Governor Obaseki raw for banning the Community Development Association are the same people blaming Obaseki for not declaring war on cultists in Edo. The same people who laid all sorts of allegations against the ESSVN just to get them disbanded are the same people crying that Edo is becoming a blood zone.
Don’t wail much; call on the APC, IGP, and the Edo CP, and those that were sending their men after PDP members before and during Edo 2024 ELECTION, to act on the worsening security situation in Benin city and Edo State.
If Governor Obaseki gives a matching order against those disturbing the peace of the state currently, the same people calling him out for being calm will still be the first to accuse him of not going after cultists.
During the last governorship election, members of the opposition refused to support his party’s candidate. They deployed federal might through the person of IGP and exposed the state to security threats and criminality by the ban imposed on Edo State vigilantes. Now the boys who have been brilliantly engaged in maintaining peace have been carelessly let loose. This contributes to the high level of insecurity in the state.
That is not all, in the Etsako Federal Constituency, they are observing the new trend of Fulani invasion of Etsako land, especially around Agenebode and North Ibie/Okpella axis of Etsako East.I am worried. I am praying for collective and individual actions to stop this ugly situation before it gets out of hand. The recent kidnap of a reverend father this weekend and a call for help by a farmer are just some of the many stories in that area. God help us.
Clearly, the Constitution permits states to establish security outfits to assist in maintaining law and order, provided these outfits complement rather than conflict with federal agencies. The Edo State Vigilante Service was created by the Edo State House of Assembly to address local security challenges.
In order words, the Edo State Vigilante Service was established through legislation passed by the Edo State House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor. This legislative process is consistent with the constitutional provision allowing states to create their own security frameworks. The creation and operation of such state-level bodies are thus constitutionally sanctioned, provided they operate within the boundaries of the law.
The jurisdiction and operational scope of the ESVS is well structured. It operates within the state’s jurisdiction and aimed at addressing local security issues. The state has the right to create institutions that address specific local needs, which is a constitutional power afforded to it.
Consequently, the role and powers of the IGP, are clearly defined. The IGP, as the head of the Nigeria Police Force, has authority over federal law enforcement activities. However, this authority does not extend to overriding state laws or state-sanctioned security outfits unless such outfits are in direct conflict with federal laws or national security interests.
Instinctively, the limitation on proscription focuses on federal security services. The IGP does not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally proscribe a state-sanctioned security outfit like the ESVS. Proscription would typically require legal proceedings and justifications under both state and federal laws. Any such action would need to demonstrate that the outfit’s operations are illegal or detrimental to national security, and it would likely require legislative or judicial intervention rather than unilateral action by the IGP.The balance of powers between federal and state authorities necessitates respect for the jurisdictional boundaries and legislative frameworks established by the Nigerian Constitution.
If Nigerians could recall, the #EndSARS protests in October 2020 resulted in the escape of over 2,000 inmates from prisons across Nigeria, Edo State experienced a sharp increase in criminal activities, including rape, armed robbery, burglary, and theft. This surge was exacerbated by pre-existing crimes in the state such as land grabbing, cultism, and the now-outlawed activities of Community Development Associations. This was compounded by the activities of non-state actors known as ‘Lions and Tigers,’ who are sponsored by politicians and used as political thugs during elections.
Amid the setback, the federal government security agencies, who were already strained, became even more handicapped and were unable to effectively manage the escalating crime and criminality in the state. This led the state government, in collaboration with the security agencies to rethink the security architecture, leading to the establishment of the ESSN, a group of young men and women volunteers, dedicated to supporting the security agencies in tackling crime and criminality in the State.
The ESSN members from across various local communities in the State underwent rigorous training by the Police, the Directorate of State Security, and other security agencies on intelligence gathering, weapon handling, stop-and-search techniques, ambush strategies, among others, and enrolled into the state’s security architecture to serve as an auxiliary force to the pre-existing security system.
The results of this community-based security model have been remarkably positive as the state has not only recorded a tremendous drop in the rate of crime but has today become one of the safest and most secure to live and do business, repositioning it as a model for other subnationals in Africa on how security, economic growth and development can be strengthened using a community-based intelligence gathering network.
Curiously, in the last couple of weeks, amid the build-up to the Edo State Governorship election slated for September 21, there have been consistent efforts by the All Progressives Congress to blackmail and discredit this novel intelligence gathering and security outfit, and falsely pin crimes orchestrated by the APC on the ESSN.
It is therefore crucial that Edo people remain vigilant, refusing to watch the APC destabilise the state’s security. Considering the essential role of the ESSN in maintaining peace and security in the state, the ESSN must be protected and supported, ensuring that their work and sacrifice are not undermined by the political machinations of the APC and their loyalists.
