The
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko yesterday said it is
a criminal offence for members of vigilante groups to carry rifles.
Manko’s reaction may not be unconnected with the killing of four
undergraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt by suspected
members of a vigilante group at the instance of their village head. The
Lagos State police boss said vigilante groups are supposed to work with
the police at the local level.
“They can arrest suspects and hand them over to the police whose
responsibility it is to investigate and prosecute if the need arises. It
is a criminal offence for members of the vigilante to carry guns,” he
maintained.
Manko said anyone seen with a gun must have a valid license for it
and such individual must have been duly screened by the appropriate
authorities. “So it is a crime for one to have a privately licensed gun
and in turn hand over same to vigilante group for security purposes,” he
said.
Manko explained that if a vigilante member is arrested with a rifle
issued to him by another person they will be arrested for illegal
possession of fire arms. He noted that members of the vigilante are
there to complement efforts of the police, not to usurp the
responsibility of the police. It will be recalled that four
undergraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt were
gruesomely killed by suspected members of a vigilante group at Aluu
community in Rivers State. The Inspector General of Police has vowed to
fish out the killers, saying such barbaric act cannot be tolerated in
any part of the country.
Source: All Africa
Abeg how would they arrest armed robbers with guns and they are ot holding guns...wont the armed robbers shoot them @ will....i think it should just be registered...there would not be fear for the vigilante if robbers know they are unarmed...nice blog
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