The 17 local government areas in Plateau State have agreed to establish formally registered security outfits to support conventional security agencies in tackling killings and other security challenges across the state.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ephraim Gar, disclosed this on Thursday in Jos, saying the council chairmen had adopted the security initiative in Wase Local Government Area as a model for strengthening security at the grassroots.
Gar explained that Wase had trained its personnel through a three-month programme conducted by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). He said formal registration of the proposed outfits would improve information sharing and cooperation with conventional security agencies.
He added that Wase Local Government had recently passed out 140 officers of the Wase Rock Security Network Limited and provided the outfit with 25 patrol motorcycles and two Toyota Hilux vehicles to improve mobility and rapid response. The outfit was formally inaugurated by the Plateau State Command of the NSCDC.
The commissioner said the agreement followed a statewide inspection tour of projects across the 17 local government areas. He maintained that the councils were executing projects based on the needs of their communities and defended Governor Caleb Mutfwang against allegations of interference in local government finances.
Gar, however, called for an improved revenue-sharing formula to enable local governments to execute more development projects that directly benefit their communities.
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