Taraba to incorporate vigilantes, hunters into state security framework
The Taraba State Government is taking steps to strengthen security in the state by incorporating vigilantes, forest hunters, and other local security outfits into a single security framework under the
- By JOHN MKOM, Jalingo
The Taraba State Government is taking steps to strengthen security in the state by incorporating vigilantes, forest hunters, and other local security outfits into a single security framework under the Taraba State Marshal.
The initiative aims to enhance community policing and improve coordination among local security actors in tackling banditry and kidnapping.
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The state government has presented a bill to the State House of Assembly for the incorporation of the outfits.
The lawmakers began legislating on the bill last year, and it passed its first reading in the House.
The executive bill, initiated by Governor Agbu Kefas as part of his 2025–2026 security reforms, is designed to enhance community policing and better coordinate the efforts of local security actors in tackling banditry and kidnapping. It is believed this move will improve security outcomes, enhance community trust, provide better coordination among security agencies, and increase safety and confidence in vigilante efforts.
The Taraba State Government also said it was investing in security infrastructure, including drone stations and specialised equipment, to support security agencies.
The Commandant of Taraba Marshal, CP Agyole Abeh (Rtd), told The Nation on Saturday that the bill, when passed into law, would streamline all local security outfits in the state under the Taraba Marshal for intelligence cohesion.
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Abeh said the Taraba Marshal security guard was officially established as a legal entity under the Taraba State Marshal Security Guard Law 2021, to complement the federal government security agencies in tackling security challenges in Taraba State.
Abeh further said the state government has officially compiled the names of all Hunters and Vigilante groups across the sixteen local government areas to actualise the bill's concept.
He stated that once passed into law, any other security outfit or person in the state not covered by the law would not be recognised by the Taraba State Government and would be declared illegal.
He emphasised the importance of the Taraba Marshal, hunters, vigilantes, and other security outfits in the state as the foundation of intelligence gathering for all security agencies of Nigeria and beyond.
"When you deploy police, military, or NCDSC to a remote area where they aren't familiar with the terrain, local vigilantes or hunters can provide information, location, or lead them to the crime scene.
"It is the locals that know the hinterland, that are very important in terms of intelligence gathering; that is why the Taraba state government is making efforts to incorporate them into the security services of the state," Abeh stated.
