THE STATE COMMANDER OF VGN REVEALED THE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS TO INSECURITY IN LAGOS STATE. | Shakiru Seidu. There must be effective synergy between VGN and other security operatives to curb security threat in Lagos State, Otunba James Udoma suggests in a special interview with MegaXpression Magazine.

Q- Good morning sir, my name is Shakiru Seidu, the Publisher of MegaXpression Magazine, Please, can we meet you sir?

A- You are welcome Shekky. My name is Otunba James Udoma, I was born to the family of Mr & Mrs Udoma in the early 70's. My father hails from Akwa-ibom while my mother hails from ijebu in Ogun state. I started  my early education at St. Augustine pry school Ijebu-Ode and Itele high school, Itele ijebu respectively. I worked with Dangote company. I am the Chairman /C.E.O of ETPO Group of Company, comprises of ETPO Ventures, (Oil & Gas), Etpo Properties, and Etpo Security services Ltd (licensed  Security company with CATEGORY 'A), I was conferred with a title of Otunba Majekobaje of Owu- Ikosi in Lagos State. I attended  Lagos State University where I bagged my B.Sc in I.R.P. M. also Dip, Adv. diploma in Security Ops and management and Specialist in corporate and industrial security respectively. Fellow, Institute of security, Nigeria (UNILAG) , member of American society for industrial Security ASIS INTERNATIONAL (largest security organization in the World). Member Nigerian German Business Association, (N.G.B.A). I am also a member of American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I am currently a Commander of VIGILANTE GROUP OF NIGERIA, LAGOS STATE COMMAND. I am happily married with children and Grand Children.

Q- Wao! Sir, concerning the Security of Lagos State, what are the differences between the Security issues before and after you assumed office?

A- As a security professional, mostly specializing in Community Policing, I was taught when I was with the institute of Security, University of Lagos on the basic need of human which is security. Security of lives and properties. What do we mean by that? It is when the citizens are safe, that is when the infrastructure and other things can come on board. Safety of lives is the most important. When I came on board as the Commander, I tried my best in setting up Units of the Vigilante through out the 37 LCDAs and 20 LGAs of Lagos State, I also got an approval from the then Inspector General of Police, Mr Araze to train all our members on basic and intelligent training because whoever will secure a community must be able to apprehend criminals, so with the basic knowledge I have with the institute of security and being a fellow of that institute, not only that, also a member of the largest security agency in the whole world which is ACC international, with all these we were able to travel all over the world to meet with security Professionals where we were imbibe in knowledge on how to keep security. With all these, we are trying to put those knowledge in action within the state, so we are trying our best.

Q- Can you ascertain the causes of insecurity in Lagos State?

A- From the beginning we are trying to come on board in the area of internal security, in Lagos State we have defined a problem of insecurity, what are the problems? Majority of the youths have no job, no employment for the youth, now the governor has come on board to create jobs and to empower the youths so we now believe that there will be no route for crime but with the present Commissioner of Police, Edgar Imohimi who has been on operation, really understood the source of crime. The source of crime is when you get to the grassroot of crime, that is when you can tackle crime and how do you get to the grassroot, you get to the grassroot through the community, that is when you start practicing community policing. It is the collaboration of the community members with the Police, this is what we have been doing that is making the crime rate to be low. It is low because we are having a Commissioner who really understood what community Policing is all about. He is practicing that and he also tapped into the resources of the vigilante because he knows that this is the grassroot security member. He merged them with the Police to work closely together, with this, that is how we are getting the result. We seek those that will give us information because without information you cannot tackle crime. When the issue of Badoo came up in Ikorodu, the Police made use of the grassroot resources and now no more Badoo, we have succeeded. So, we are pleading to the Lagos State Government to use community policing, to use the grassroot resources. Lagos State have truly created the neighbourhood watch, that is good, but they haven't come on board to merge with vigilante. If they can work together and use resources of both sides, they will get result. It is a very good achievement and a successful one to create the neighbourhood watch but there are some agencies that have been on ground long time ago like the VGN, these are agencies that has been practicing community policing before the establishment of the Neighbourhood watch, there should be a synergy where the government will bring the Neighbourhood Watch together with VGN in other to share experiences, ideas and to work together in policing the community.

Q- Are you saying now that it is community policing that can combat crime in Lagos State?

A- Yes, community policing is the major way in combating crime, it is the major role to play. Let me give you for instance, when you are setting up the City, if you don't go to the grassroot, most of the crime are established or are connived from the grassroot. So when you are leaving the grassroot, the incident that are happening in the grassroot is still coming to the city, so why not kill the incident before it gets to the city, so that is why community policing is very effective now in Lagos State.

Q- Is the Lagos State government recognizing VGN?

A- I can't really say that the State government doesn't recognize the presence of the Vigilante.

Q- But seems they don't engage the services of VGN in crime activities?

A- Yes, they do not, I wouldn't want them to look at the VGN as a federal institution, simply because these are community based organizations. So, we are pleading that they should tap into this resources, they should finance the organization and see the result. The State Government can write to the Police and ask for the activities of the VGN, we have been operating in the State, I have been the State Commander for 3years and we haven't recorded any evil that the Vigilante has done to let you know that our members are properly coordinated and properly profiled, so we need the assistance of the State government in providing a helping hand to the Vigilantes.

Q- Are there any formal training for your men and what are the minimum qualifications for an officers?

A- We have different type of people coming into the Vigilante Group, either you have certificate or you don't, as far as you can communicate and pass information within your community, you are good to go. We only need the educated ones to coordinate them, those who can write, read and record activities, that can put a written document down, that can text message and so on, those are the areas where we need the educated ones. We also accept the retirees from the forces.

Q- Is there any formal training for them?

A- Yes, even the present Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris has even approved training for all our members. We are to train at the Police Training School here in Ikeja, we have 5days basic and intelligent training which is going on presently.

Q- What is your opinion on the present bill that just passed the third reading at the House of Representatives concerning the VGN?

A- I use this opportunity to give kudos to the National Assembly who have listened and watched closely to the Vigilante Group of Nigeria. People believe that the Vigilante are the local hunters, No! We have security experts within the Vigilante Group, that is the more reason why we are putting it on media for them to see the activities of the VGN. The National Assembly has seen the importance of the security agencies to keep maximum security of the communities in the federation. Now we are expecting the Senate House to do the same by passing the bill for the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.

Q- Is it true that there is faction in VGN?

A- There is no factions in VGN, go to the registration of those who brought this organization together, you will come to realise that there are board of trustees, that is what people don't know, if am registering a company, I will bring in the board of directors, we pick the Chairman, CEO of the Organisation. On this NGO, when it was established, there was a board picked Alhaji Ali Sokoto who is presently the Commander General of the organization, so there is no factions.

Q- What is your words for Governor Ambode of Lagos State and the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi?

A- Gov. Ambode is excellent and he's not living any stone unturned concerning the State Security, I'll enjoined him to look into a helping hand to the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, in the area of mobility, operational vehicles and other security equipments. If other groups are well taken care of, I want the magnanimity to extend to the Vigilante Group who have been suffering day and night to save lives and properties within the State, I want the Governor to look into this. I want to assure that the C.P. in Lagos State, Mr Edgar Imohimi is on the right track. There is a synergy between the Police and the VGN. We really commend him for the job well done and the initiative he is putting in place, compared to other years that the VGN were not recognized or been making use of. We are working on our own trend but now it's a lot better and I must confess to you that the young man is doing a great job in Lagos State.

Q- Thank you very much sir, Otunba, for sparing us part of your precious time.

A- Thank you Shakiru, I am very proud of you.