In Cameroon, the defensive security reflex has led to the creation of vigilance committees, which work alongside the defense forces in the fight against insecurity. These vigilance committees have acquired a "role identity" that makes them auxiliary forces in the popular defense policy. They are key figures in the fight against insecurity in North Cameroon, and their role is often questionable. The aim of this book is to analyze the status and place accorded to these actors in the security system. Are they "de facto civil servants", i.e. reserve forces in the national security system, in view of the benevolence accorded them by the public authorities? Or are they simply exceptional collaborators with the army during a security crisis? What can happen to them after a security crisis? This book seeks to shed light on these issues.