Participants at a one-day workshop organized by
the office of the chairman of Anambra State
Vigilante Supervisory Committee and Special
Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Vigilante
Matters, for members of Anambra Vigilance
Group, AVG, Anambra North Area Command
Zone, have resolved to expose and disband all
unregistered vigilante units in the state.
They also resolved that henceforth, the use of
torture on criminal suspects by the vigilante
operatives has become a punishable offence,
declaring that any form of extortion of the
general public by vigilante groups was strictly
illegal and prohibited.
In an 11-point communique issued at the end of
the workshop, weekend, the participants, who
included the Police, chairmen, commanders and
operatives of the AVG, traditional rulers, red cap
chiefs, presidents-general of town unions, local
government chairmen, members of Onitsha North
Legislative Council and security stakeholders
from all strata of life, further resolved that
police-vigilante groups collaboration was
paramount to effective security in the state.
At the workshop held at the Police Community
Relations Committee, PCRC Hall, Onitsha Police
Area Command headquarters, entitled, ‘Prospects
of Vigilance Groups in National Security,’ aimed
at promoting a cordial relationship between the
Police and AVG, the participants also resolved
that the Police must supervise the activities of
vigilance groups.
The communique also stated that firearms used
by vigilante groups must be kept in police
custody when not in use