Benue killings: Ortom goes tough, approves establishment of gun carrying vigilante groups

Speaking on the resolutions of the meeting, Ortom, who said renewed attacks on the people by armed herdsmen had overstretched security agencies, noted that the state government had decided to enforce “the law to provide for the establishment of community volunteer guards (vigilantes).”

He said the vigilantes would be constituted from the community to local government levels to complement the operations of conventional security agencies across the state.

The governor explained that the recruitment process would commence immediately, adding that those to be recruited would be ex-service men.

“Those to be recruited are ex-service men and people from 18 to 50 years, and they must have stable sources of income and must have lived in their respective communities for a minimum of six years and they must be of impeccable characters and be loyal.

“All the vigilantes must carry weapons that are licensed so that anytime there is external aggression, they must be able to rise up to defend themselves,” he said.

Ortom said the state government has been mandated to support the vigilantes with logistics as provided in the law, adding that the recruitment of personnel should be carried out in the 23 local government areas of the state.