Nasarawa State Government Proscribes Eggon Vigilante Group, Other Ethnic Vigilante Groups
The government of Nasarawa State has proscribed all single ethnic vigilante groups operating with the State. This includes the Eggon Vigilante Group, Nomad Vigilante Group, Bassa Vigilante Group and other similar groups.
Communicating its decision through an executive order signed by the Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, the State Government gave all such groups a period of two weeks within which it must submit to the government all arms, uniforms and other items they used in exercising their duties.
The order which is Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 reads: “In the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 97A of the Penal Code and of all other powers enabling in that behalf, the Governor of Nasarawa State acting on the advice of the State Security Council, hereby make the following Order.
“This Order may be cited as the Penal Code (Proscription of Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other Similar Organizations) Order, 2024 and shall be deemed to have come into operation on 15 Day of April 2024.
“In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires:
‘Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya Nomad Vigilante’, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and any other ethnic group, association, movement, organization or society affiliated with the group operating under the guise of vigilante.
“Similar Organizations includes 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 group within Nasarawa State through the use of force or arms etc.
“The Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other Similar Organizations are hereby proscribed and declared unlawful societies dangerous to the good governance of Nasarawa State.
“Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya, Nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other Similar Organizations are by this Order directed to hand over all weapons or arms in their possession along with their uniform to the Commissioner of Police Nasarawa State Command within two weeks from the date of this order.”
Recall that Governor Sule had convened an emergency expanded security council meeting on Monday April 15, 2024 as a result of what he described as rising cases of kidnapping and abuse of powers by some ethnic vigilante groups. The executive order is a result of that meeting.
