As part of measures to address insecurity in Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani has flagged off the training of 7,000 additional vigilante members to enhance community policing in the state.
The 7,000 personnel drawn from all the state’s local government areas are being trained at the Police College, Kaduna.
The governor said on Saturday that the training was a significant step towards fulfilling his promise to strengthen the workforce and overall operational capacity of the Kaduna Vigilance Service (KADVS).
He said that since its establishment, the KADVS had been working with security agencies to degrade criminal elements across the state.
“But we face the challenge of inadequate personnel to successfully wage the battle against bandits and other criminal elements.
“It is for this reason that our administration decided to recruit 7,000 personnel into the Kaduna Vigilance Service,” he said.
He said those recruited were thoroughly screened by local government chairmen, traditional and religious leaders, key stakeholders and security agencies in their local government areas.
“The screening was very thorough. We have here energetic young men and women of transparent honesty committed to securing our local communities,” he said.
The governor also explained that KADVS was a complementary security outfit assisting security agencies with actionable intelligence.
According to him, with their knowledge of the local environment, bandits will now have no hiding place.
The governor charged the newly recruited personnel to show seriousness and commitment during the training.
