The Commander-General of the Abia Vigilance Group, Mr Martins Idika, has advised state governors in the country to establish vigilance groups to tackle the rising wave of crime.
Idika gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Wednesday.
He said the increasing wave of violent crimes in the country had made it imperative for state governments to evolve drastic measures to address the phenomenon.
He said he had been a member of the group for five years adding, that the group had achieved crime reduction in Abia.
“It was the group that first uncovered the hide-out of the notorious Osisikankwu gang that terrorised the state in 2010 before the intervention of a combined team of the police and military.
“If the remaining 35 state governors should emulate Abia by setting up similar outfits, it will go a long way in checking the current security challenges in the country,’’ he said.
Idika said the role of Abia Vigilance Group ‘’is to penetrate the grassroots and uncover the negative activities that often snowball into serious crimes’’.
He called on states that are currently under siege by the Boko Haram sect to set up similar vigilance groups.
According to him, the groups should collaborate with security agencies in ensuring adequate security of lives and property.
He commended the supportive role of Gov. Theodore Orji to the group and urged residents of the state to always partner with it in crime prevention.