In Nigeria vote, armed vigilantes work to keep the peace

By The Associated Press February 24, 2019 at 4:56am

YOLA, Nigeria (AP) — Thousands of civilian volunteers who call themselves the Vigilante Group of Nigeria have banded together to try stem the violence from Islamic extremists and other bandits who have turned parts of Nigeria’s north into a war zone.

The self-defence group, which works closely with local authorities, is believed to have made cities like Yola, the capital of the northern state of Adamawa, safer ahead of the presidential election, including the counting taking place Sunday.

The extremist group Boko Haram continues to wreak havoc in a deadly campaign that has killed over 27,000 people and displaced over 1.7 million in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north. This was a major campaign issue in the election, as voters in the north demand an end to a security crisis that has traumatized millions of Nigerians.

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