Reports of harassment, extortion, and violent assaults by rogue vigilante members in northern Nigeria are raising alarm among residents, who fear that these groups are exacerbating insecurity rather than curbing it. Victims say the vigilantes, originally formed to support community safety, have increasingly turned into perpetrators of crime themselves.
In a recent, disturbing account, a Fulani man—who requested that his location remain confidential for safety reasons—recounted a brutal attack by vigilantes following his inability to meet their extortion demands. According to the victim, the incident occurred shortly after he purchased a motorcycle. When the vigilantes demanded ₦10,000, he explained that he could only pay ₦2,000 at that moment.
“One of them immediately became enraged and started beating me,” he said. “The others joined in, striking me until I lost consciousness. They also took ₦40,000 and my power bank.”
The man was hospitalized and eventually discharged after receiving medical care, but despite reporting the attack to local authorities, he said no arrests were made, and his stolen belongings were never recovered. Adding to his distress, the same vigilantes now publicly mock him.
“There is no justice. They roam freely and laugh at me when I pass by. This is what ordinary people face every day,” he said.
Security expert Zagazola Makama, in a post on 𝕏, warned that the unchecked behavior of such vigilante members could further erode public trust in law enforcement. “When citizens see those entrusted with enforcing the law acting with impunity, it not only undermines confidence in security agencies but can also encourage retaliatory crimes and fuel the cycle of banditry,” Makama explained.
Despite numerous reports of violent abuses, extortion, and intimidation, there appears to be little oversight or regulatory action taken against these vigilante groups, leaving communities vulnerable to both criminal elements and the very forces supposedly protecting them.
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