INFLUENCE OF INFORMAL SECURITY ACTORS ON LOCAL SAFETY OUTCOMES: A STUDY OF VIGILANTE GROUPS AND CRIME CONTROL IN NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of informal security actors on local safety outcomes, with particular focus on the role of vigilante groups in crime control in North-Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted to collect quantitative data from participants at a single point in time. The population consisted of all informal security actors in North-Central Nigeria, and a minimum sample size of 384 was determined using Cochran’s formula, with purposive sampling employed to select active participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics, while Spearman’s rank-order correlation was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that informal security actors have a moderate positive and significant relationship with local safety outcomes (rho = 0.469, p = 0.000) and that vigilante groups have a moderate positive and significant relationship with crime control (rho = 0.478, p = 0.000). In conclusion, informal security actors contribute meaningfully to crime reduction in local communities. Therefore, the leadership of vigilante groups should collaborate more closely with the Nigerian Police Force and other formal security agencies to expand organized patrols, intelligence gathering, and crime monitoring.