Wilson Inalegwu, former assistant inspector-general, says regional security outfits like Amotekun and Ebube Agu should work under the supervision of the police to ensure effective “community policing”.

The ex-AIG said the outfits must work in synergy with the police so as to “curb their excesses.

Inalegwu spoke on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Friday.

He said governors’ decision to come up with regional security outfits is commendable, but should not be used as instruments to ethnicise the issue of security.

“The governors are right to express concern and come with these arrangements, but the arrangements should be coordinated by the official security agencies, like the police,” Inalegwu said.

“And we have that provision, that when you have vigilantes going out, assuming we have 10 members of a vigilante, you should have at least 2 police officers with them. This will curb their excesses because they may not understand the nitty-gritty of providing security and the best way I think is through intelligence and information.

“So when you have regional outfits like Amotekun and Ebube Agu, if they work with the police, this will help multiply the number of police, but let them not go alone and begin to effect arrest, because the situation is such a delicate situation.

“What is important is that governors should not ethnicise the issues of security, because we are managing unity in diversity. So when you come and begin to bring different security outfits, especially if you arm them, but they can fit in the official security.

“What is important in this battle, especially kidnapping, is intelligence. So when you have these vigilante getting information because they are embedded in the community, and you promote citizen-police partnership, what you get is that the citizens develop confidence in the police and other security agencies.”

On April 14, Ebube Agu was formed as a result of the incessant attacks in south-east states.