Pro-Government Militias
Edo State Vigilante (Nigeria)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 409 |
| Country: | Nigeria |
| Date formed: | Sept. 15, 2000 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | The group was set up in September 2000 to help the police combat crime. In 2001 the group received legal backing from the Edo State House of Assembly and in 2002 additional local government council committees of neighborhood watch were set up. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no information |
| Former Armed Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no information |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | state (institution) |
| Government Link(s): | sub-national government |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | no information |
| Primary Membership: | local |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Edo state, Benin city |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | criminals; unarmed political opposition, government critics; journalists |
| Purpose(s): | protect property and investment; self-defense and security; anti crime |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | A bill passed in December 2001 made this group constitutionally official. Also knowns as "Edo Peoples Congress". Other states in Nigeria may possess similar vigilante groups, but evidence on whether those groups are armed is missing: Delta State Vigilante Groups, Kaduna State Vigilante Group, Kano State Vigilante Group, Osun State Vigilante Group and Yobe State Vigilante Group (see evidences). See also similar federal state-sponsored State Vigilante Groups in the databank. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The militia was created as a neighborhood watch that combated crime, in joint operations with the police. According to the governor of Edo state, the militia’s presence has helped to reduce the crime rate in the state. Furthermore, the state government used the group to target political opposition, ahead of the 2003 elections. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia has killed and attacked civilians under the pretext of fighting criminals. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | No information. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | No information. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | No information. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | In 2001, the Edo State Assembly passed a bill to set up the vigilante group, although there are already reports of its existence in 2000. In 2002, a local council committee was set up to monitor the militia. (Amnesty 2002, 5) |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.