Lifestyle Nigeria gathered that the security outfits established by various state governments, especially in the North-West, are being accused of indiscriminate arrests and killing of suspects, as well as innocent people without recourse to judicial processes, findings by Daily Trust Saturday revealed.

But those charged with the responsibility of managing the outfits have debunked the claims of extrajudicial killings, though some admitted what they described as “overzealousness” by some of the operatives.

It was alleged that in some states, long lists of suspected bandits, their supporters or sympathisers have been arrested and ultimately killed, and such acts are allegedly being carried out without recourse to the police and other law enforcement agencies.

So far, the Katsina State Community SEE Corps (CWC), Zamfara State Community Protection Guards (CPG), Kaduna State Vigilantes Service (KADVIS) and the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps (CGC) have been established, while Jigawa, Kano and Kebbi states are expected to form theirs soon. Kaduna State had earlier developed its own strategy, which is similar to those of the six other states.

Sadly, many families in the affected states are now mourning the arbitrary arrest and subsequent disappearance of their loved ones due to the alleged excesses of the state-recognised security outfits.