Mr. Dan Manjang, the Plateau Commissioner for Information and Communication, has proposed that state governors be given more control over security units in their jurisdiction for efficient community policing.
On Sunday in Jos, Manjang spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview.
He said that community policing would involve communities in internal security issues, and that the technique was known to be very effective.
He explained that community policing was important since security personnel had a greater understanding of the area and the people in communities.
“Since the security operatives employed also reside in the communities, it will stimulate efficient intelligence gathering of information because they are members of the community,” he said.
Under the current arrangement of state governors, who, as chief security officers of their states, “have very little control over the security of their states,” he claimed, effective community policing would be impossible.
“Before they act concerning the security issues pertaining to their states they have to seek permission from the various security bodies.
“The governor is the chief security officer of the state, but he cannot command troops.
“If he needs the police to act, the best he can do is to talk to the commissioner of police who will have to get clearance from the Inspector General of Police before any action is carried out.”
As a result, he recommended that state governors, who are also the chief security officers of their states, be given some influence over the security apparatuses in their states in order to rectify the issue.
Manjang urged members of the National Assembly to support a bill amending the constitution to give state governors considerable power over the security apparatus in their states.
Similarly, the Plateau administration announced it had recruited 3,000 youngsters for the state-owned security group “Operation Rainbow,” who had been trained and dispatched to the state’s 17 local government areas.
He also stated that the state government has purchased around 200 motorcycles and 50 cars for the outfit in order to improve its capabilities.
