The Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, Umar Nadada, has said that the vigilante group recently inaugurated by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural association in the state, is not recognised by the police.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Fulani socio-cultural group unveiled the vigilante group on 18 January in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The Commissioner of Police said this when members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him on Tuesday in Lafia.
According to the commissioner, no formal letter was written to inform the police of the group`s intention to register any vigilante group.
“It is our duty to attend any gathering to provide security and ensure that hoodlums did not hijack the event or the organisers themselves will not do anything illegal.
“Even when they came to our headquarters, I addressed them outside the headquarters of the command because there was no formal notification,” he added.
Mr Nadada said that the police had been working with vigilante groups that were recognised, “and would not work with any group not recognised by the state,” he said.
On the synergy with NUJ, Mr Nadada said that the police were ready to work with the media for proper policing in the state.
The commissioner said that the contributions of journalists to the development of any society, and of course policing of the society cannot be undermined.
“Media practitioners in the state have proven to be true professionals in their reportage, and have always contacted us to get clarification before publishing or airing their reports.
“The coverage of police activities in the state has been unprecedented and we need to commend you and appeal that it should be sustained.
“Without the coverage of our activities the public will not know the efforts we are making in fighting crime, and the feat we have achieved,” he said.
He said that the command had concluded plans to expand the anti-kidnapping unit of the police from two to five for more efficiency.
Earlier, Salihu Alkali, NUJ chairperson in the state, congratulated Mr Nadada on his posting as the commissioner of police in the state and promised to support him to succeed.
He commended the police for their relentless effort toward fighting crime and appealed that patrol should be stepped up at Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia and the Federal University of Lafia.
The chairman said that this would tackle the increasing robbery in the area.
He said that the people in the state were not happy with the formation of the vigilante group, and urged the police to address it before it got out of control.
(NAN)