Assessing the Impact of Vigilante Patrolling and Community Engagement on Crime Prevention in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria

It is worrisome that despite the existence of both the police and vigilantes in the various districts and communities within Dekina Local Government Area, there are still some elements of insecurity, lawlessness, intimidation, kidnapping, daylight assassinations, armed robbery and burglary etc. Hence, in assessing the impact of vigilantes in this regard, the study examined the prevalence of crime in Dekina LGA; examined crime prevention and control mechanisms adopted by the vigilante group; assessing the effectiveness of their roles while ascertaining the factors militating against the operational efficiency of the vigilantes and suggested measures to improve on their performances in crime prevention and control in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. Structural strain theory and social contract theory were used for the study. A survey research design was employed for the study in which a systematic simple sampling technique was utilized to select the respondents from the sample of 297 out of the total population of the study, which was 1304. A pre-test was conducted on every question in the questionnaire to ensure that the research instrument was valid. Two hypotheses formulated were tested using Multiple Linear Regression and Chi-square. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between effective vigilantism and the prevalence of crime in Dekina Local Government Area. The study also revealed that beat patrol, stop, detain and search, undercover work, personality escorts, and static guards, among others, were the mechanisms adopted for vigilantism in Dekina LGA. The study further revealed that inadequate operational equipment, improper training, inadequate funding, corruption and godfatherism were some of the factors militating against the operational efficiency of the vigilantes. Recommendations include providing more funding, proper training, and better welfare for vigilante group members to prevent similar situations that erode public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force. Vigilante members should receive proper orientation on handling sophisticated weapons, and exceptional individuals within the vigilante group should be acknowledged with awards to enhance their contributions to crime prevention and control in Dekina Local Government Area.