By Peter Duru, Makurdi

A Civil Society Organizations, Lawyers Alert has identified Community Policing as one of the most effective means of addressing the security challenges facing Benue state.

The Project consultant of Lawwers Alert and Chairman of the Benue Non-Governmental Organizations Network, BENGONET, Mr. Lazarus Mom stated this weekend during the official screening of the Community Policing Project Impact Documentary in Guma and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State sponsored by Open Society Foundation, OSF.

Mom who explained that the documentary capture what Lawyers Alert had been doing in the two LGAs in the last two years to promote Community Policing said “Lawyers Alert is highly concerned about issues of security in Benue. The idea of what we have done here is to see that the security challenge that is bedeviling the state is collectively solved not just by the security agencies but by the communities in tandem.

“We believe so much in Lawyers Alert that Community Policing remains one of the most effective and efficient way of addressing the challenges that have been with us in the last six to seven years.

“We want to state that Lawyers Alert is always open to giving support to Benue State government and seeing to it that community policing is upscaled. We are ready to give technical support in which ever area the government and its agencies think we can do that.”

The Deputy Governor of Benue State, Dr. Sam Ode represented by the Permanent Secretary in his Office, Mrs. Felicia Alugo noted that the project brought together security agencies and the communities to work collectively on security issues to ensure lasting solution to insecurity in the communities.

He said “It is commendable because the programme is to ensure that peace is restored and sustained to pave the way for development in the communities. We would build on the project and also collaborate to ensure its success and further its reach and scope.”

The Director General, Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, Leonard-Angelo Viashima
said the documentary showed clearly the depth of what Lawyers Alert had done in the two LGAs “and the donor will be happy to see the result. The testimonials are as a result of the due diligence that happened at the grassroots. What the documentary has shown is that the security of lives and properties sits with the government and also sits with us as individuals.”

He lauded Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Security team and the Community Protection Guards, CPG, for helping take Community Policing to the grassroots emphasizing that the initiative by Lawyers Alert would spur them to do more.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security, Chief Joseph Har commmeded the organisation for the initiative which he noted had created the needed awareness on the importance of community policing and partnerships to ensure a secured society.

On his part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on External Security and Strategy, Lt. Col. Alex Ashungyu (retd) said the initiative had once again brought to the fore the importance of carrying communities along in the issue of security for better results.

The Deputy Commandant of Corp, DCC, of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, Benue State Command, Mr. Solomon Tompey commended Lawyers Alert for initiating the programme and prayed that “it would go a long way to bring back the glory of the security in our communities.

The Communication Advisor, Plan International, Yunus Abdulhamid said
“what Lawyers Alert is doing is resonating with us because it is exactly what we will do in a similar situation particularly when it has to do with women.

“Women are usually relegated to the background but we will have to put them in front so that we do not repeat the mistake that brought us where we are. We are here in Benue and I can assure you that we will learn from what we have heard here and what Lawyers Alert has done so that we can improve on the plans we have already put in place.”

The Senior Legal Officer, SLO,  Lawyers Alert, Solumtockuku Ozubulu explained that what the organisation executed in the two LGAs “is a template that we all can use to achieve peace.

“We have had alot of concerns regarding security issues going on in the state. And the idea is that this project can be that template to help us solve the growing insecurity in the state.

While lauding the NSCDC and the BICD for their partnership and support that helped drive the project, the SLO said “we are screening this documentary today so that we can all see how we can partner to ensure that the community and security sector actors can work together.”

The Lawmaker representing Guma 1 State Constituency, Peter Uche and his counterpart from Ohimini State Constituency, Isaac Agbo who both commended Lawyers Alert for the initiative sued for improved funding for Local Governments to enable them better play their roles of ensuring security in the rural communities.