Vigilante Groups and the Dialectics of Internal Security Management in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba State

• Author(s): Dr. Danjuma Yusuf; Ebenzer, Bango; Dr. Edwe Dankano
• Paper ID: 1714071
• Page: 172-182
• Published Date: 06-02-2026
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 9 Issue 8 February-2026

Abstract

This study examines the complex role of vigilante groups in managing internal security within Takum Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. Against a backdrop of persistent violent crime and perceived failures in formal law enforcement, communities have increasingly turned to vigilante groups as alternative security providers. The research examines the relationship between formal law enforcement limitations and the emergence of vigilante groups, and assess the roles these groups play in responding to criminal activities. Employing descriptive research design, the study utilized interview, and field observations with 25 purposively selected participants, including vigilante members, community elders, police officials, and residents. The analysis was framed through State Fragility Theory, which illuminates how institutional weakness and legitimacy deficits create security vacuums filled by non-state actors. Findings reveal that vigilante groups emerge directly as a pragmatic response to the profound operational and trust deficits of formal agencies, characterized by inadequate resources, corruption, and slow response times. These groups have become integral to local security, performing preventive patrols, rapid response, intelligence gathering, and customary dispute mediation. Their effectiveness and legitimacy stem from deep community embeddedness and cultural familiarity. However, their operations remain largely unregulated, raising concerns about extra-judicial actions, human rights abuses, and the reinforcement of a hybrid and often unstable security order that both compensates for and exacerbates state fragility. Based on these findings, the study recommends a dual-pathway approach: first, the formal recognition and regulated integration of vigilante groups into a community policing framework, accompanied by training in ethics and human rights; and second, a fundamental reform and resourcing of formal security institutions to address the root causes of state fragility and restore public trust. This balanced strategy aims to harness the local efficacy of vigilante groups while strengthening the rule of law and accountable governance in Takum LGA.

Keywords

Vigilantism, Internal Security, State Fragility, Community Policing

Citations

IRE Journals:
Dr. Danjuma Yusuf, Ebenzer, Bango, Dr. Edwe Dankano "Vigilante Groups and the Dialectics of Internal Security Management in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba State" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 8 2026 Page 172-182 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I8-1714071

IEEE:
Dr. Danjuma Yusuf, Ebenzer, Bango, Dr. Edwe Dankano "Vigilante Groups and the Dialectics of Internal Security Management in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba State" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(8) https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I8-1714071