Nasarawa police command disowns Nomad Vigilante team *** Says the command was not contacted

By David Okpashi

LAFIA — In response to the controversy surrounding the constitution and inauguration of a nomad Vigilante Group in Nasarawa state, the police command on tuesday distanced itself from the formation of the 2,440 vigilante group.

Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa state command, CP Shehu Umar Nadada denied the command involvement in the formation of the Fulani Nomad Vigilante team recently unleashed on the state by the President of the Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo.

CP Nadada told Journalists in Lafia during a courtesy visit on him by members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists that the command was not officially notified about the formation of the Fulani Nomad Vigilante outfit.

According to the CP, “I am assuring you that the Nomad Vigilante as they call themselves are on their own. There was no formal report made to the police concerning the formation and subsequent inauguration. Nobody wrote to me or called me that he is coming the command headquarters for anything”..

“We have been working with other vigilante groups that are recognised by the government, but we will not work with any vigilante that is not recognised by the government”, Nadada declared.

“Like I have said, nobody informed the command in writing or verbally about the vigilante group, but ordinarily, if there is any gathering like that, we cannot allow people to gather without providing security for them to avoid hoodlums hijacking the gathering,” he said.

However some concerned residents in the state have alleged the involvement of the police in the formation of the nomad vigilante group as officers of the command were represented and also seen providing security for Nomad during the inauguration ceremony.

Earlier, the Nasarawa State Council Chairman of the NUJ, Salihu Alkali had congratulated the CP for his recent posting to the state, pledging the NUJ readiness to give the command the needed cooperation in their statutory function of ensuring security of lives and property in Nasarawa