Abstract
The weakness and failure of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies of government to provide adequate security for the lives and property of citizens, especially at the community level necessitated the need for the formation and use of local vigilante groups in most parts of the country including the South-East. This paper, therefore, examines the impact of community policing on addressing security challenges in Nigeria, specifically with a focus on the local vigilante groups in the South-East geopolitical zone between 2019 and 2023. The theoretical framework used for analysis in this paper is the deterrence theory as propounded by early utilitarian philosophers - Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham who used deterrence to explain crime and also see it as a method to reduce same. The study draws on qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including community leaders, security personnel, and members of the vigilante groups. The findings reveal that although community policing, as exemplified by the local vigilante groups, has played a significant role in reducing the myriad of security exposures in the South-East, including armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, herdsmen attacks, and communal conflicts, the effectiveness of the local vigilante groups in fighting crimes and criminality in the zone is limited by inadequate training and funding, lack of coordination with formal security agencies, and political interference. The paper concluded that, in spite of the challenges facing community policing in Nigeria, the use of local vigilante groups has the potential to enhance public safety and security in the South-East. The paper recommended among others, the need for the provision of adequate training, equipment, and funding to local vigilante groups with a view to enhancing their capacity for community policing and combating the avalanche of security challenges in Nigeria's South-
East zone.