By joshua 
KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT URGED TO EMPLOY MORE VIGILANTES
The Executive Director of Conscience for Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution (CHRCR), Idris Miliki Abdul, has called on the Kogi State Government to recruit more vigilantes to complement security efforts in the state.
This follows recent security challenges that led to the temporary closure of schools, markets, and motor parks in the western district.
In a press release, Abdul stated that while the government’s proactive measures are commendable, the current security personnel are federal staff who can be redeployed at any time and may not be familiar with local languages.
Abdul recommended employing at least 20 vigilantes per ward to work with conventional security agencies, emphasizing community resilience and engagement to address violent extremism.
The statement highlighted factors contributing to extremism in Nigeria, including governance failure, corruption, inequality, and lack of opportunities, and stressed the need for a unified approach to counter-violent extremism strategies across federal, state, and local governments.