Magnus Eze, Enugu
Former executive chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, has asked South East governors to discountenance request by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) to establish vigilance groups in the region.
Amadi told Daily Sun that it would be catastrophic for an outsider to contemplate providing security for Igbo in their land.
He stated that the issue of security should only be provided by the federal and state governments, but added that any form of vigilance group must be sourced from the immediate community that they operate.
Amadi said the Nigerian state was already weak, pointing out that creating security fiefdoms would further weaken it.
“As a country, we should be moving away from vigilante and all other forms of unofficial and personalised security. It is actually a form of intense insecurity.
“It is evidence that the state is failing to ensure security for all citizens.
“Miyetti Allah is a voluntary organisation. It should not enjoy any official privilege or function.
“It should never be treated as a special organisation, otherwise, you unleash centripetal forces that weaken state capacity.
“We are already a weak state. We should not weaken it through security fiefdoms. Only the federal and state governments have any responsibility on security. Any form of vigilante that should be allowed must be one sourced from the community.
“Herdsmen are like other occupational groups like teachers and traders. It should not enjoy any special privilege in security matters,” he said.