News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has formally launched the People-Centred Public Safety (PCPS) Project, describing it as a defining moment in the state’s pursuit of peace and security.
Governor Alia who addressed partners, security stakeholders and citizens at Government House in Makurdi on Tuesday, said the initiative was both a policy direction and a moral commitment to rebuilding public trust in the state.
Represented by his Deputy, Sam Ode, Governor Alia lamented that the state has been battered by cycles of violence and instability emphasizing that the programme was the state resolve to pursue peace, safety, stability and collective healing.
Governor Alia highlighted lessons drawn from Guma, Katsina-Ala and Agatu Local Government Areas, where local experiences have demonstrated that community resilience, innovation and cooperation can mitigate violence.
He said the PCPS framework builds on these realities, recognizing that true security is not imposed by government alone but built, sustained and owned through partnerships between citizens and institutions.
He announced plans to institutionalize Community Policing Committees, ensuring that citizens, particularly women, young people and internally displaced persons, play central roles in shaping safety strategies and accountability mechanisms.
The governor reaffirmed that the PCPS model is not a temporary experiment but a governance-backed statewide framework anchored in executive authority and long-term sustainability.
He commended Lawyers Alert and Open Society Foundations for their advocacy and partnership, while acknowledging the cooperation of security agencies and state institutions, urging all Benue citizens to take ownership of the framework, work together in trust, coordination and mutual accountability, to protect lives, restore trust and secure a peaceful, resilient and prosperous future for Benue State.
President of Lawyers Alert,
Dr. Rommy Mom described the initiative as a significant shift in the approach to security and safety, aligning with the governor’s vision of protecting lives and communities.
He noted that while government has long relied on kinetic responses to address insecurity, a critical gap persisted, the absence of trust between citizens and security agencies. According to him, this trust deficit often explains why communities hesitate to report incidents or share intelligence during conflicts.
Mom explained that this challenge inspired the adoption of a people-centered framework, culminating in the establishment of Community Policing Committees as provided for in the Police Act. The Act, he emphasized, mandates the creation of such committees at state and local government levels to foster collaboration between communities and security agencies.
He said “These structures are designed to place citizens at the heart of safety efforts by encouraging information sharing, early warning, and collective problem-solving.”
Mom highlighted that Benue State became the first to implement the model in the manner envisioned by law, citing Guma and Katsina-Ala as pilot areas where committees comprising women, youth, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders worked directly with the police, civil defense, and local volunteers.
This collaboration, he said, improved accountability, strengthened communication, and enabled security agencies to provide regular briefings to communities adding that residents also began to experience immediate improvements in personal safety and daily life.
“People regained confidence to carry out routine activities, trading, schooling, and small businesses without fear. With that trust between communities and security agencies in the pilot local governments had improved significantly, with early warning mechanisms and shared responsibility emerging as key pillars of the evolving public safety system.”
Representatives of Guma and Katsina-Ala LGAs, Justin Tsukwe and Grace Mue shared testimonies highlighting the positive impact of the Community Policing Committees and the People-Centred Public Safety initiative in their communities and commended Lawyers Alert for implementing the program which has contributed in bringing relative peace in their communities.
