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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Lawyers Alert has announced the launch of the People-Centred Public Safety (PCPS) Programme in Benue State, describing it as a structured, rights-based framework designed to strengthen collaboration between communities and formal security institutions in the state.
Briefing newsmen in Makurdi on Friday, President of Lawyers Alert (LA), Dr Rommy Mom, said the initiative places citizens, particularly women, youth and vulnerable groups, at the centre of security governance.
He stressed that the PCPS model “is not a vigilante system, not parallel security, and not political,” but a lawful approach grounded in Nigeria’s legal framework.
According to Mom, the programme draws legitimacy from the Nigeria Police Act, especially provisions promoting community policing, partnerships, intelligence sharing and public accountability, which explicitly recognise that effective policing requires community participation, transparency and trust.
He noted that the framework aligns with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigeria’s human rights obligations and the Benue State Government’s mandate to protect lives and property.
Mom said, “Public safety cannot be achieved by force alone. It must be built on trust, accountability and partnership.”
He highlighted Benue’s persistent security challenges, including attacks on rural communities, displacement, farmer–herder conflicts, banditry and communal violence, which he said have strained relationships between citizens and security agencies.
He explained that the PCPS Programme emerged from the need to rebuild trust while improving the effectiveness of security responses.
The Lawyers Alert president disclosed that pilot projects implemented in Katsina-Ala and Guma Local Government Areas (LGAs) produced measurable outcomes.
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He said they include improved information flow between communities and security actors, faster responses to emerging threats, increased women’s participation in safety discussions, and a reduction in mistrust and rumour-driven panic, as well as strengthened accountability in local security engagements.
He named structures established under the pilot phase to include Community Policing Committees, Early Warning and Early Response Hubs, dialogue platforms between citizens and security agencies, women-inclusive consultations and rights-based reporting mechanisms.
Mom added that the programme has now been expanded to Agatu LGA, another conflict-affected area, reflecting community demand and government confidence in the effectiveness of the model, with the model moving from experimentation to institutionalisation.
He announced that the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, will formally launch the PCPS Programme on February 24, 2026, signifying government ownership of a tested security innovation and institutional commitment to collaborative, accountable security governance.
He urged traditional leaders, youth groups, women leaders, faith-based organisations and the media to support the programme’s institutionalisation, saying security is not the sole responsibility of government but a shared civic duty.
The Lawyers Alert president also called on journalists to report responsibly, verify information and highlight positive community–security partnerships.
Mom expressed appreciation to the Benue State Government, the Bureau of Homeland Security, security agencies, local government chairmen, community leaders and development partners for supporting the initiative, saying PCPS is “a philosophy of security governance and a bridge between citizens and the state, a security with dignity, a partnership over fear.”
Head of Programmes, Bureau for International Corporation and Development (BICD), Barr Ori Onum, commended LA for the initiative, saying it was a great way of conscientising people to be part of security in their respective communities.
Ori, who noted that the PCPS would bridge the gaps that existed in community security architectures and build trust among the people, pledged the state government’s commitment to support the process.
