Some women in Jos, Plateau State, have formed a vigilante group to combat the security challenges facing the state. Hajiya Amina Ahmed, the leader of the women in Laranto, Jos North local government area of Plateau State, speaks with ISAAC SHOBAYO on the mode of their operations.
What influenced the decision to form a female vigilante group?
I am one of the women in the vigilante division. We are here with other women working within this structure. Considering the kind of society we find ourselves in.
The society is very fragile. Actually, in 2000, there was a resolution by the UN Security Council, Resolution 1325, which is about women’s inclusion in peace, security, and development. Nigeria is one of the countries that are signatories to this resolution. After its passage, each member state was expected to go back and contextualise it and come up with an action plan suitable for their country.
So Nigeria developed what we call the National Action Plan. Under this plan, there are five pillars: participation, prevention, protection, prosecution, and relief and recovery, especially in terms of emergencies.
After attending a series of trainings and capacity-building workshops, we saw the need for women’s inclusion in peace and security—what we call Women, Peace, and Security. This talks about including women in all peace and security initiatives. Because the vigilante group already exists, we as women began to ask how we could contribute, especially given the series of conflicts we have experienced over the years.
What are the motivational factors?
This community used to be one united, mixed community. But because of the crisis, it became divided. In one part, you find a majority of Christians, and in the other, a majority of Muslims. It now feels like there is a border between what used to be one large community. As women from both sides, we are peacemakers. We came together and agreed that it is important for us to contribute to peace in our community. And we cannot talk about peace without improving the security situation. So we approached the vigilantes in our community and showed our interest. We are really happy because they welcomed us. We explained that there are certain issues—especially women-related issues—that men cannot fully handle or understand.
How involved are you in the community’s security arrangements, particularly with regard to your relationship with the conventional police?
Our involvement has helped to ease some of the security challenges. What drives us is the desire to improve the security situation. There have been several cases where, because of our involvement, we were able to address issues that could have escalated into violence between the two communities. People can easily take advantage of a polarised community, but because women are usually around the home 24 hours, we act as watchdogs and conflict monitors. We are very observant. We have been trained to identify early warning signs. Whenever we notice something that could escalate, we alert ourselves, discuss it, and engage the necessary stakeholders. Also, during crises, women and children are the most affected. So if we are the most affected but not involved in addressing the issues, then those issues cannot be fully resolved.
How has the community reacted to women joining the Vigilante organisation, taking into account cultural and religious perspectives?
Initially, some members of the community did not believe we could make any impact. But as women, once we decide to do something, we keep pushing. Gradually, as the community began to see the impact of our involvement, the resistance reduced. Now, if you speak to stakeholders, they will acknowledge the role women are playing. What a woman can observe and understand, a man may not, especially because men are not always around. People talk about women and gossip, but sometimes that gossip can be constructive. Women share information, and when trained to identify conflict signs, those conversations can help prevent crises.
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Is there any synergy between your group and security agencies?
Yes, we work closely with the police, particularly the Laranto Police Division. They find us very useful and instrumental. They are even planning for some of us to start visiting the division regularly, working alongside as members of the community to support security efforts.
What is your work schedule? Do you patrol at night?
We do not necessarily follow the vigilantes all the time on patrol. However, whenever there is tension in the community—especially at night—we are contacted, particularly for issues involving women. That is where our role becomes very important.
Do you dress like your male counterparts?
You know, even within organised security, not everybody uses a uniform. So it is also with us—some of us use uniforms, some don’t. In my own unit, I deal more with gender-related issues. Others are in operations and are always in uniform and even handle some of the weapons. Within the vigilante group, we have different units, and each of us belongs to a unit depending on what we do. That’s why I said from the beginning that you are free to talk to any one of us. But if you want to understand more about how we work generally, I can speak on that.
What is the relationship between you and the men in the vigilante group?
We have a very cordial working relationship because we all understand that this is not personal; it is about the community. We respect our mode of operation, and our families are aware of what we do. Our husbands give us full support, and some of them are even part of the male vigilante group. So there is mutual understanding, and our relationship is really good. We don’t see ourselves as competing or interfering with each other’s roles.
What have you been able to achieve so far?
Peace and security in our community is our main goal. Without peace and security, life will not be easy. Our economic activities will suffer, our children will not go to school, and there will be no happiness. If people are living in constant tension, who will even stay in their homes? Hunger and poverty will take over. So our main objective is to ensure peace and security in the community. We have achieved a lot. Today, the communities are beginning to return to their normal state. We are seeing a mixed community again, where Muslims and Christians can live together. That is a big achievement. Also, whenever there is an issue, we now have a common ground where we gather immediately, look at the situation, and decide how to address it together. That unity is an achievement.
Another important thing is the example we are setting for our children. Instead of growing up seeing each other as enemies, they now see that people of different religions and tribes can come together and live in peace. Other communities are also coming to learn from us. They ask how we started, how we are doing it, and how it is working. We share our experiences with them.
There are concerns about drug abuse in the community. How are you addressing that?
Yes, we are aware of those issues, and we are addressing them in different ways. We organise awareness programmes where we engage young people—both boys and girls, and even adults involved in drugs. We sit with them and talk to them. As women, we also go out to meet some of these youths, even in difficult places, to talk to them and see how we can help. We collaborate with organisations to provide empowerment programs. We support skill acquisition so that these young people can learn something meaningful. Many of them are not in school and are idle, which pushes them into drugs. Some were affected by the crisis and lost their livelihoods. We thank God that some of them, especially the women, are now doing something productive. Their income is helping them leave those harmful lifestyles and focus on better opportunities.
What is your advice to the government and society?
The government needs to step up in terms of empowerment. They should create more initiatives to engage people because issues like drug abuse, poverty, and unemployment are not limited to this community—they affect the whole country. The environment should be made more enabling for businesses, with support like grants or subsidies. There should also be more opportunities for people to learn skills. We now see a situation where even graduates finish school and have nothing to do. If there are more economic opportunities, it will help reduce violence, insecurity, and social vices. Parents also need to step up. In the past, every adult was seen as a parent to all children in the community, but we don’t see that anymore. If we can return to those communal values, where people see themselves as one, it will help. What unites us is greater than what divides us. Even in religion, we all serve one God, just in different ways. If we focus on the things that bring us together, it will strengthen peace in our communities.
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