Benue communities embrace Community Policing in line with Police Act 2020
Communities in Guma and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State have taken ownership of community policing initiative as part of solutions to address insecurity.
The concept of community policing which is in line with Section 113 of the Police Act 2020, was introduced by a non-governmental organization, Lawyers Alert to enhance trust between the people and the security structure so as to improve security in the state.
The community-led solution which was introduced in 2023 to dampen tensions amidst insecurity, by strengthening public-police relations in the state with a 20-member committee in each area spearheading the activities.
At a monthly meeting of the committee in Gbajimba, the Directors General Services and Administration (DGSA) of Guma Local Government, Mr. Waku Christopher, on behalf of the entire Guma local government, donated office space to the members of the Community Policing Committee (CPC) to serve as a secretariat and operational hub.
Mr Waku said the donation is an appreciation of the good work that CPC is undertaking in Guma to strengthen relationships and bring about harmony in the community.
He commended CPC for including women, youths, Persons with disabilities (PWDs), and other vulnerable groups in the peace process while emphasizing that the issue of security is everyone’s business.
According to him, "This project implemented by Lawyers Alert has already started changing the interface between the community and the security personnel in the region. On behalf of the Guma Local Government Council, we thank Lawyers Alert and the CPC for spearheading this community-driven initiative."
In Katsina-Ala, Hon. Justine Orangoholga Shaku, the Caretaker Chairman lauded the initiative and the good work the CPC is doing in the communities.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining peace in Katsina-Ala and expressed his readiness to assist the CPC within the scope of his responsibilities.
Hon. Justine Orangoholga Shaku added that he recognizes the project's objective to strengthen trust and accountability between law enforcement and the community, which aligns with his duty to the people.
"This development underscores the impact of the project and the CPC's work to safeguard the Guma and Katsina-Ala communities. Through these collective efforts, CPC members are enhancing security measures by reinstating trust in the security framework among the people." He added.
The community policing initiative focuses on building ties and working closely with community members through the Community Policing Committees, which are made up of community members and the security sector.
The project is also enabling communities to consider the relationship between crisis and development and the management of tense situations that could degenerate into full-blown crises, using Early Warning Early Response (EWER) systems to mitigate conflict.
Lawyers Alert called on the entire public and the Nigerian Police Force to support and endorse this initiative as enshrined in the 2020 Nigeria Police Act under sections 113-119.
The NGO Lawyers Alert is said to be implementing a similar project in South West and North West of Cameroon to calm the tensions in those communities and reestablish trust within the communities.