Amnesty International urges ban on vigilantes

A rise in crime and insecurity three years after the return of civilian rule to Nigeria and low performance by the security forces have led to the expansion of vigilante groups at local and state level, Amnesty International said. "Armed vigilante groups carry out law enforcement activities in an ever-growing number of states with the tacit, and sometimes explicit, endorsement from the state governments, especially in the South-East of Nigeria," Amnesty said in a new report titled 'Nigeria: Vigilante violence in South and South-East. "State-endorsed armed vigilante groups routinely carry out extrajudicial executions and unlawful detentions and inflict torture and other forms cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment to suspected criminals," it added. Amnesty said the federal government was not only responsible for the numerous human rights violations committed by its security forces, but also accountable for those groups officially endorsed by authorities at state or local levels to carry out law enforcement duties. The Government must also acknowledge its failure to effectively take on those armed groups who commit human rights abuses and for failing to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice, it said. Armed vigilante groups, commonly known as the "Bakassi Boys" of Abia, Anambra and Imo states have carried out extra-judicial executions, torture, cruel and inhuman treatment of alleged criminals and illegal detentions, with the backing of state governments, it said. Over the past two years, hundreds of people have reportedly been executed by the Anambra State Vigilante Service, which was officially recognised by the state's government, Amnesty noted. The report, however, welcomes recent actions by the Nigeria Police Force to dismantle armed vigilante groups in the southeast, mainly in Abia and Anambra States. Amnesty warned that this latest initiative might prove insufficient unless it is sustained and applied consistently for the whole of Nigeria, and unless those responsible for human rights violations committed by state-endorsed armed vigilante groups are brought to justice. "Any armed vigilante group endorsed by the authorities to conduct law enforcement functions in Nigeria which does not meet relevant human rights standards should be permanently dismantled, and those individuals responsible for violations, brought to justice," it urged. As social pressure grows over increasing crime and poor performance by the Nigerian security forces coupled with activities in the run-up to presidential elections, due in April 2003, there is a clear risk that tacitly or expressly state-endorsed vigilante groups will carry out further human rights violations in the context of a struggle for power," it warned. "The police must, in their fight against crime, observe all relevant international human rights standards concerning the use of force by law enforcement officers," the organisation urged. It called on the federal and state governments to put the respect and protection of human rights at the top of their political agenda, and ensure that no human rights violations or abuses by armed groups are carried out with impunity.