Self defense and vigilanteism


If you read the following article, especially the opening sentence you get the idea that protecting yourself and your village is vigilantism.


"BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) — Villagers in an area of Nigeria where Boko Haram operates have killed and detained scores of the extremist Islamic militants who were suspected of planning a fresh attack, the residents and a security official said.


Residents in Nigeria's northern states have been forming vigilante groups in various areas to resist the militants who have held more than 270 schoolgirls captive since last month."
http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-vigilantes-kill-islamic-militants-131633401.html


So the militants were planning a fresh attack and the villagers struck first and stopped the attack. Why the negative connotation? Is it a belief that only those in authority can fight on our behalf?

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