By Suleiman Abubakar
The Executive Chairman of Toto Local Government Council, Pharm. Ahmed Baba Yahaya, has trained 60 vigilante personnel drawn from four major ethnic groups — Egbira, Bassa, Gbagyi, and Gade — as part of efforts to tackle insecurity and promote peace and unity in the area.
The chairman made this known during the passing out parade of the trained personnel held recently in Toto Local Government Area.
Pharm. Ahmed Baba Yahaya explained that the vigilante personnel were meticulously trained by the Nigerian Army on intelligence gathering, information sharing, and synergy with conventional security agencies to curb crime and prevent conflicts in the area.
He emphasized that the inclusion of all major ethnic groups in the vigilante squad was a deliberate move to strengthen unity and avert any form of ethnic bias that could threaten the existing peace.
"The lessons of our past experiences are enough. We will never go back to those dark ages anymore," he said.
The chairman appreciated the Nasarawa State Government, the Nigerian Army, other security agencies, Institute for Integrated Transition and NGO, traditional rulers, and the entire people of Toto LGA for their unwavering support toward the success of the security initiative.
He charged the vigilante personnel to always place the interest of Toto Local Government above personal or tribal interests for the overall development of the area.
In his remarks, the State Permanent Secretary on Security Matters, Mr. Maikeffi Ada, lauded the initiative, describing it as a bold step towards consolidating peace in the area. He reiterated the government's position against mono-ethnic security outfits, warning that any local security group promoting tribal interests would not be tolerated.
Similarly, Capt. Abbas, Commanding Officer of Kenyihu Army Camp, urged the vigilante personnel to work in synergy with security agencies to identify and report criminal elements within the community.
Highlighting the event was a special parade by the passing out squad, with representatives of Egbira, Bassa, Gbagyi, and Gade ethnic groups commending the chairman's proactive peace-building approach, which is gradually yielding positive results.
