Segun Atanda/
In a sweeping reform of local security architecture, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has approved the absorption of more than 2,500 vigilante personnel into the state’s civil service, granting them permanent and pensionable appointments.
Ododo described the move as part of his administration’s broader effort to formalise local security efforts, professionalise community intelligence networks, and bolster accountability mechanisms within grassroots security.
According to the state government, the newly absorbed personnel are now subject to public service rules, a scheme of service, and formal regulation. Their names have been officially gazetted, reinforcing the shift from informal vigilante roles to recognised civil service positions.
Barrister Tanko Muhammed, the Chairman of the Kogi State Civil Service Commission, encouraged the new civil servants to remain dedicated, describing their new roles as “very important.”
Tade Adeyemi, Special Adviser on Civil Service Affairs, hailed the reform as historic, calling it “the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria” for the formalisation of previously casualised vigilante services.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ibrahim Omeiza Sani, Director-General of the Kogi State Vigilante Services (KSVS), emphasised the importance of proper documentation to guard against “ghost workers”, an issue he said will be addressed by conducting a full roll call of all vigilante groups across the state.
The KSVS itself has roots going back to a 2013 law passed by the Kogi State House of Assembly, though it only became substantially active in 2016 under the previous administration.
This reform comes amid growing concerns over security in Kogi State and elsewhere. Experts have already urged the governor to further restructure the vigilante services to strengthen accountability, improve funding, and invest in training.
Ododo has repeatedly underscored his administration’s “zero tolerance” for crime.
As recently as February 2025, he convened a meeting with local government chairmen, vigilante personnel, and “professional hunters”, urging deeper cooperation among security actors and community leaders.
The reform also aligns with Ododo’s broader security strategy. In November 2025, he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deploying technology, engaging community policing structures, and collaborating with security agencies to monitor and prevent crime across the state.
However, the reform has not been without its critics. Some vigilante personnel say they were unfairly terminated under the previous controller-general.
In a public appeal, a group of dismissed members called on the governor to reconsider their dismissal, claiming they had served for six to seven years and were wrongfully let go.
Security experts, such as Ukwunetu Samuel Ali of the Nigerian Correctional Service, have argued that merely absorbing vigilantes into civil service is not enough.
They call instead for broader restructuring, including recruitment of educated youths, better pay, modern logistics, and stronger links with formal security agencies, to make the force more effective against banditry and other threats.
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