The recent brutal massacre of over 70 members of a vigilante squad in Plateau State shows the danger that Nigerians are now exposed to due to the failure of the Nigerian state to protect its citizens from terrorists masquerading behind different monikers: armed herdsmen, Boko Haram, bandits, Lakurawa, ISIS, Mahmuda, and others.

The vigilantes, from Kukawa and Bunyum communities in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, were on their way to identifying the hideouts of bandits that had been terrorising their people when they were ambushed and more than 70 of them gunned down on the spot.

The Chairman of the vigilante group, Aliyu Baffa, said after burying over 70 bodies in a mass grave, many of the members remained unaccounted for. According to reports, a resident of Bunyum community also narrated how another 10 vigilante members were killed and many houses burnt while providing security in their home town.

These sad incidents are reminders that the Nigerian state is gradually abandoning its constitutional obligation to defend the territorial integrity of the country and protect the lives and property of its citizens.

There is hardly any community that is free of these threats throughout the country. Bandits, Boko Haram and other jihadists are destabilising normal livelihood in the deep North, while Fulani militants masquerading as herdsmen are running riot throughout the Middle Belt, especially Plateau, Benue and Taraba states, as well as every state in the Southern parts of Nigeria.

The Police, Army and other security agencies no longer seem able or willing to do much. In fact, even top officials of the military now openly admit that some rogue elements among their rank and file are complicit in colluding with the terrorists as they attack, kill, displace, rape, burn down farming communities and kidnap for ransom.

With help not forthcoming, many communities are now resorting to self-defence. Unfortunately, the vigilantes are poorly armed compared to the enemies who are adequately kitted and armed for offensive action. The terrorists are tested fighters. Some of them are operating under the supervision of hardened and experienced jihadists who are versed in asymmetrical warfare.

They live in the bushes of the local communities and understand the landmarks even better than the indigenes. To effectively tackle them, community vigilantes must also be properly trained and equipped. Even at that, it is grossly irresponsible for the vigilantes to be abandoned to the bandits and terrorists.

Our law enforcement agencies whom we pay and equip, must do their work or leave the force. The calls for synergy between the state forces and the local communities must be activated. Where is President Bola Tinubu’s promised Armed Forest Guards, AFG?

If we allow warlords to emerge from among the community vigilantes operating outside official military/police control, we may be heading to Somalia!