Justice for All (J4A) Donates Equipment to Voluntary Policing Sector (VPS) Groups in Niger State.

The Justice for All (J4A) programme of the Department for International Development, DFID is donating equipment to some VPS groups in Niger State under its Component Intervention Plan (CIP) that targets VPS groups. The activity, which is part of a programme aimed at improving the service delivery, accountability and management of the VPS groups, also referred to as vigilante, is being done in collaboration with CLEEN Foundation.

According to the Component Lead Consultant, Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, over the years, the important role being played by vigilante groups in ensuring public safety and security in inner cities and rural communities which usually play host to poor and vulnerable persons, can neither be overlooked nor downplayed. Some of these groups are known to work closely with and render assistance to the Nigeria Police Force in curbing crime.

This according to her informed J4A initiating this project, which is currently being executed in 7 states across the country. The states are Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Niger, Jigawa, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In each of these states, some police divisions are selected and transformed to Model Police Stations; and VPS groups working around these selected stations are identified and their capacity built. Trainings on Human Rights, Conflict Management, Basic Policing Skills and Organizational Management are organized for the VPS executives and operatives.

In Niger state, the project is targeting VPS groups in operation in Chanchaga and Bosso Local Government areas of the state. These groups have not only been trained, they have also been linked to the police divisions in charge of the areas they operate, and jointly they would be policing their communities. The equipment being donated is to assist the VPS groups in effectively carrying out their duties. The equipment include rain boots, raincoats, torch lights, arm bands, whistles, batteries etc.

The event will be taking place at Paiko Road Police Division at 11am on Thursday May 22, 2014.  Expected to be in attendance at the event, representative of Voluntary Policing Groups from Chanchaga and Bosso Local Government Areas of the State, the police, members of the community and the media.

Signed by

‘Kemi OKENYODO

Executive Director

CLEEN Foundation