THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF VIGILANTE GROUPS IN KAURA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KADUNA STATE

Abstract

The high level of crime and insecurity in many communities including Kaura LGA, Kaduna State and security vacuum left by the deficiencies of the State and its security forces necessitated the establishment of various types of vigilante groups. This study was conducted to investigate the organisation, performance and challenges of vigilante groups in Kaura LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study was ushered by five (5) research objectives. The Cross- Sectional Survey and Case Study Design were adopted for the purpose of the study because of the nature of the population of study. The population of the study consists of all vigilante group members across the five (5) wards, officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force at the Kaura Divisional Headquarters, three Police Outpost and all adult members of the community across the five (5) wards in Kaura LGA. The Multi-Stage Sampling technique, the Systematic Sampling, the Purposive Sampling techniques and Cluster Sampling techniques were used in selecting 224 respondents and three (3) Vigilantes’ group leaders, three (3) Wards Heads, three (3) Police Officers and three (3) Community members. Data for the study were collected using two methods which are quantitative and qualitative, two instruments which are the questionnaire and interview guide. Quantitative data obtained was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23, qualitative data were analyzed manually based on the substantive issues raised in the study thematically. The findings from the study revealed that there are many types of vigilante groups in existence in the study area but only KADVS has legal backing from the State Government. The study also found out that these Vigilante groups perform different functions and there exist good partnership between the vigilante groups and the police, also, the services of vigilante groups are found to be effective and the vigilante groups faces many challenges. The study recommended improves funding, training, retraining and full legal backing for all vigilante groups in Kaura LGA.