I grew up in Nigeria where I cannot undermine the problem of security in the country. We hear almost every day, armed robbery, kidnapping, one chance operators, Yahoo boys and police officers who are criminals themselves. Therefore when the thought of being a vigilante is brought up, I automatically start visualizing yourself as a masked person dressed in black, jumping off rooftops or cowering in the dark as Batman, taking care of those who have claimed the streets as theirs.
Due to the fact that that the authorities of corruption are sometimes too slow, too indifferent, or too corrupt to come to the aid of ordinary people. In the case of an emergency when you call the police they might tell you to send card. When robbers strike a neighborhood, police might take hours to arrive and during which all things have been stolen. Unfortunately, when you come to file a case, the same policemen can even lecture you how you should have avoided it yourself.
Therefore, the idea of the dream to be a vigilante is attractive, not because people want to break laws but because they want justice which is swift and direct.
However, to be honest, becoming a vigilante is not all about fighting criminals, but it is also about winning the fight against your fears. I dare not even go out at night, with armor, and against armed robbers with AK 47s. All vigilante tales start with heroism yet there always lies sacrifice behind heroism.
In Nigeria, people do not always win over criminals because the society is weaker. Crime is enticing when individuals are poor, desperate, starving, unemployed or hopeless. Therefore the actual vigilante work is not to beat the people with sticks or run after robbers on okada. Perhaps, a real vigilante is the one that creates opportunities with money and influence.
For example, when I get wealthy, I could invest in youths, making employment available, fund their small businesses or fund training programs. A young man who earns a decent salary would have less chances of carrying a gun. A young woman who owns a business on her own will be less likely to be involved in fraud gangs. With hope in the community, power is lost by criminals, this is one sort of vigilante work.
The other means is through sponsoring actual security measures. I do not need to be the fence jumper, I can hire professional guards, purchase effective equipment, fund streetlights, CCTV cameras, and watch programs. The vigilante who sometimes works quietly, smartly and legally is the best.
This is the place where things are complicated. Due to the fact that in Nigeria, you cannot trust the system completely, however, you cannot neglect it as well. The fact is, though you might be a vigilante, you still have the police to do arrests, legal procedures and court cases. Criminals can be caught but with a weak system they will be walking free.
That is the reason why, the rich people in Nigeria usually attempt to exploit the authorities rather than depending on them. They employ attorneys, provide police offices with funds or friends in government. It is not perfect but this is the reality. It is however also risky to trust the systems fully in their corruptness as this only augments the corruption.
I would encourage the empowerment of youth, better security of the community, education and sponsoring development projects in the community. I would collaborate with truthful officers, I would build stronger ties between community and the authorities. I would also drive towards accountability, since nothing will change without it.
However, in my heart I realize that I will forever feel the urge to be a vigilante to every Nigerian that has experienced injustice. We have all dreamed of capturing a thief, solving a case, or someone who believes he or she is someone who cannot be touched. We desire rapid and equitable justice.
I want to be a vigilante with influence, with money, with opportunity and with justice
Noted: All pictures were generated on Meta AI