ANALYSIS: Vigilantes embark on unsanctioned mission, walk into ambush — yet blame government? How?

By: Zagazola Makama

Let’s be honest. What happened in Kanam LGA, Plateau State, on July 6, 2025, was not just tragic, it was completely avoidable. But what’s worse than the incident itself is the wave of misinformation, public outrage, and unguarded finger-pointing now flying across social media as people scramble to lay blame squarely on the government and security agencies. Pause. How?

Here’s the fact: a large group of vigilantes mobilized on their own, without informing or coordinating with Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) the legally recognized joint task force handling security in the area. They went rogue. They gathered themselves, left Kanam, claimed they were heading to Odare Forest to “deal with bandits”, and even stopped over at Kukawa community where, instead of waiting quietly, they reportedly attacked civilians and looted provision shops. They even seized over 20 motorcycles from locals. This wasn’t a coordinated security operation; this was a recipe for chaos.

Still, they pushed forward toward the forest. And then reality struck: they were ambushed by the same armed bandits they thought they’d surprise. Eight vigilantes died. Others went missing. Tragic, yes. But entirely self-inflicted.

Then came the media storm exaggerated headlines screaming “70 vigilantes killed!” which turned out to be grossly false. What’s the point of throwing such a dangerous figure into an already volatile situation? Is it for clicks? Or just an outright attempt to paint government and security forces as incompetent?

Worse still, people online are now blaming the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, service Chiefs and OPSH. But let’s ask a basic question: Who approved this operation? Who did they inform? What intelligence were they acting on? Or did they think bandits would greet them with jollof rice and welcome drinks?

Let’s not confuse emotions with facts. Operation SAFE HAVEN is not a tea club. It’s a robust multi-agency task force comprising the military, police, DSS, NSCDC, and others. It’s structured. Coordinated. It works on intelligence, logistics, and strategy. You don’t just bypass that entire structure and head off into the bush, machete in hand, and expect success.

And when it fails, you start screaming that “government has failed”. No, this is not failure of government. This is failure of process. This is what happens when people mistake bravado for bravery.

Of course, every loss of life is regrettable. Nobody should take that lightly. But we must equally call out reckless actions that put lives at risk and then fuel chaos through misinformation. OPSH confirmed eight deaths, not 70. Troops only got to know this when the ambush already took place and they only went for Search and rescue operations, recovering the missing people.

If vigilantes who are meant to support the formal security architecture choose to operate outside of it, then they bear the consequences of those actions. OPSH didn’t know. The military wasn’t briefed. No one in the chain of command approved it. What exactly were they expecting? The reason why they refused to informed the security forces is because nobody will regulate their activities, reason why on their way, they decided to loot shops and seized motorcycles from residents.

It’s high time people realize that securing communities is not a matter of spontaneous bravado or viral outrage. It requires planning, coordination, and discipline.

And to the media houses: please do your job responsibly. Verify your figures. “70 vigilantes killed” is not a statistic it’s a spark that could ignite tensions if not carefully managed. Eight is too many already.

Let’s stop turning self-inflicted wounds into national tragedies blamed on people who had no hand in the recklessness. The message is clear: coordinate with OPSH. Don’t go rogue. And above all, don’t cry foul when you didn’t play by the rules.

Enough with the dangerous mischief.

ANALYSIS: Vigilantes embark on unsanctioned mission, walk into ambush — yet blame government? How?