AN ASSESSMENT OF VIGILANTISM ON CRIME CONTROL IN EDO STATE

Background: Persistent insecurity and rising criminal activities in Edo State, Nigeria, coupled with inadequate police resources, slow response times, and declining public trust in conventional law enforcement, have necessitated alternative community-based security arrangements.

 Aim: This study examined the role of vigilantism in crime control in Edo State. Specifically, it investigated the nature of police vigilante cooperation, assessed community perceptions of vigilante performance, and determined the extent to which vigilante activities contribute to crime control.

 Methods: Anchored on Social Control Theory, which explains vigilantism as an informal mechanism of social regulation that emerges when formal controls weaken, the study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design. The population comprised community leaders, residents, and vigilante group members. Using stratified random sampling, 364 respondents were selected. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, one-way ANOVA, and paired-samples t-test, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis.

 Results: Findings revealed significant variations in perceptions of police–vigilante collaboration across communities (F = 5.021, p = 0.002). Community members expressed favorable views of vigilante performance, with mean performance ratings increasing from 3.58 to 3.86 after overall assessment (t = -8.235, p < 0.001). Perceived crime control also improved significantly, from a mean of 2.94 before vigilante involvement to 3.65 after (t = 12.846, p < 0.001). Furthermore, vigilante groups received a higher performance rating than the police (M = 3.87 vs. 3.62; t = 5.482, p < 0.001).Conclusion: The study concludes that vigilantism contributes significantly to grassroots crime control through community surveillance, intelligence gathering, patrols, rapid response, and cooperation with the police. However, for sustained and rights-based crime control, there is need for improved training, adequate financing, legal regulation, accountability mechanisms, and stronger institutional collaboration between vigilante groups and the police.