The Police Command in Yobe on Sunday said it arrested three vigilante members for allegedly stealing building materials in Damaturu.
The Command’s Spokesman, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the arrest in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu.
He said the suspects – Ibrahim Mohammed, Hassan Umar and Ali Yakubu – were arrested on June 27, after they connived and broke into a shop in the metropolis, which the owner engaged them to guard.
The spokesman said they would be charged with criminal conspiracy, house trespass, burglary, receiving and trading in stolen property.
Abdulkarim noted that there were several complaints about untoward behaviour of vigilante members, prompting the state Commissioner of Police, Garba Ahmed, to call for a review of their registration.
“In view of their important role of complementing security agencies in the fight against crime and criminality, this development is sad and unfortunate.
“There have been series of complaints of untoward actions by some of those outfit members,” he said.
The spokesman announced that the command was developing a strategic plan for proper documentation and supervision of Divisional Police Offices over vigilante activities in their jurisdiction.
Abdulkarim advised the public to be vigilant while engaging personal security guards and report criminal elements within the group to the police.
He also called on the public to report erring security personnel to the state Police headquarters or write a complaint to the commissioner through the spokesman