A stitch in time
On Tuesday, several newspapers reported that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s President, Bello Bodejo, was arrested by the Department of State…
On Tuesday, several newspapers reported that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s President, Bello Bodejo, was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Miyetti Allah’s head office in Karu LGA over concerns about the Nomad’s Vigilante Group in Nasarawa State. However, the DSS later denied arresting him. Meanwhile, Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang declared a 24-hour curfew in Mangu LGA due to escalating security issues, according to the governor’s spokesman, Gyang Bere. Mr Bere’s statement read in part, “Governor Mutfwang decided after consultations with the relevant security agencies.”
The recent announcement by Miyetti Allah to establish a 1,144-strong vigilante group in Nasarawa to deal with the growing insecurity in the state has sparked controversy. It must be asked what exactly Miyetti Allah perceives itself to be to justify its decision to set up armed militias to solve a problem that is often associated with its members. The audacity of such a decision highlights a fundamental flaw and gap in Nigeria’s security framework — the dependence on unreliable and unofficial forces. While the DSS denied reports that it had arrested the group’s leader, if the reports are true, any move to disband the proposed vigilance group would be a good thing, given the rise of nationalism and ethnic-based violence across the Middle Belt. Such an action at this time is crucial in preventing the creation of militia by private individuals attempting to take on state functions without proper authorisation. The announcement that Mr Bodejo was not in the secret police’s custody betrays hope. The DSS may, however, be using its well-worn tactic of initially denying an arrest and then admitting it later. Whatever the case may be, Bello Bodejo’s actions are not an isolated incident; they are the latest in a long line of attempts by private individuals to take the law into their own hands. Nnamdi Kanu’s creation of the Eastern Security Network, as an armed wing of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra in 2020, was ostensibly intended to protect Southeasterners from attacks by people said to be affiliated with Miyetti Allah. That move, and the fact that those behind it did not seek a licence from the government, highlights the state’s inability to fulfil its responsibility to protect lives and property; and the people’s lack of respect for its authority. As such, going after every Aliyu, Emeka and Femi who tries such stems from the tried, tested and failed strategy of whack-a-mole, which the Nigerian state employs to manage a situation it has no plans of resolving. The state in question, Nasarawa, is an ethnically and religiously diverse state, so the allowance of such ethnic-based militia is very likely to inflame tensions in a manner not seen since the Ombatse Killings of 2013. Meanwhile, while addressing banditry and cattle rustling is necessary, the internal complexities, with Fulani herders involved in banditry, raise concerns about bias and escalating tensions within the vigilante. Rather than exacerbating the issue, Miyetti Allah should lead a radical shift: transitioning members to a ranch-based system. This would eliminate the need for nomadic herding, the root cause of conflicts with farmers, and enhance security and economic productivity. Executing this shift demands more than intentions. Private militias offer a false sense of security; robust state police systems should fill the void. Decentralised, community-oriented state police, well-trained and equipped, can navigate conflicts, build trust, and enforce the law. Mangu LGA’s ongoing curfew underscores the fragility of peace under a failing security system. The future relies on Miyetti Allah driving the ranch transition through market-driven models and the government supporting private-sector investment in ranching, establishing effective local policing systems with local accountability and investing in community-oriented policing for trust and collaboration. Nigeria must move beyond vigilante groups and establish security based on shared responsibility and local partnerships.