News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
The Benue State Government has trained officers on basic Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR) to tackle cases of human rights violations in the state.
Our correspondent reports that the training which was conducted for security operatives in Benue State was jointly organized by the Special Advisers to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har PSP and that of Security and Strategic Liaison, Lt Col Alex Ashungu.
Addresing the participants, Chief Joseph Har urged them to adopt human rights principles to balance security and end human rights violations.
Har said there was every need for the government to retrain officers working in the State to mitigate the rates of human rights abuses allegedly caused by security operatives.
He said the training would lay the foundation for the forthcoming Code of Conduct document for security personnel in Benue State, which would incorporate the VPSHR guidelines.
He said the document aimed to foster ethical conduct, accountability, and transparency within the security sector.
Earlier in his presentation, Dr. Josep Wanshe, Acting State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) in Benue, said the Commission was committed to human rights education for security personnel.
Wanshe who provided a detailed VPSHR framework, designed to help security personnel integrate respect for human rights into their operations, said said the NHRC’s was dedicated to equipping security operatives with the principles of VPSHR.
He said “This training empowers our security personnel to perform their duties with a rights-compliant approach, which is essential for building trust and fostering protection within our communities.”
