Christian And Muslim Women Unite To Form Vigilante Group In Jos, Patrol Streets At Night To Combat Crime (Video)

Amid growing insecurity and its escalating effects on local communities, a group of women in Jos has established an all-female vigilante group to tackle violence, theft, and drug-related crimes in the area.

The initiative, highlighted in a Reuters feature on Tuesday, brings together women who say they were compelled to act following what they described as repeated failures of government security promises.

According to members, the group was created as a grassroots effort to contribute to the safety and stability of their communities.

Armed with little more than whips and identification cards, the women patrol neighbourhoods and confront suspected drug dealers and petty criminals. Despite limited resources, they say their presence has begun to yield results.

“We have been able to help reduce thefts, taking of drugs and other vices,” Blessing Ngozi Emmanuel, identified as the group’s leader, was quoted as saying.

The vigilante team currently comprises about 20 women from both Muslim and Christian backgrounds, reflecting a rare show of unity across religious lines in a region often marked by tension.

They conduct nightly patrols between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., focusing on areas they consider most vulnerable to crime.

However, their work has not come without risks. Some members have reportedly been injured during operations, while others have received threats.

One member said she was warned that she could be made to “disappear” if she continued her involvement.

Despite these dangers, the women insist their mission is strictly to support community security, not to replace formal law enforcement.

They also expressed frustration over the lack of official recognition or support, noting that it was only weeks ago that local government officials visited them, despite months of active operations.

The emergence of the group underscores the worsening security situation in Plateau State, where incidents of violence, abduction, and communal attacks have persisted.

Earlier on Tuesday, SaharaReporters reported the abduction of a senior cleric of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and Chairman of its Board of Trustees.

The cleric was reportedly taken by unknown gunmen from his residence in Farin Gida, Jos. The incident was confirmed by a source at the church’s headquarters, while a message circulated on its official WhatsApp platform urged members to pray for his safety and swift release.

Jos is not the only part of Plateau grappling with insecurity. In February, survivors recounted how suspected Berom militias allegedly intercepted a commercial vehicle in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, dragged out five trader-passengers, and k!lled them.

The attack reportedly occurred along the Nding axis, just hours after seven people were said to have been k!lled in Ratatis community, Dorowa Babuje, by suspected armed bandits.

One survivor, Abdulazeez Ibrahim, a resident of Gangare in Jos North Local Government Area, described how the victims, identified as Hausa traders travelling to Pankshin for business, were stopped and attacked.

Against this backdrop of persistent violence, the women-led vigilante group in Jos represents both a response to insecurity and a reflection of growing public frustration over gaps in official protection.

Promises by the government to ensure safer communities have failed to materialise with many k!lled, kidnapped from time to time.