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The Benue State Government has commenced a six-day training program for 300 personnel of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPGs) as part of efforts to strengthen local security architecture and build resilience against insecurity.
The training, being conducted by the Kukah Centre in collaboration with the state government, is taking place at the firing range in Ikpayongo, Gwer-East Local Government Area. It focuses on improving the operational framework and capacity of the guards to effectively deliver on their mandate within the confines of the law.
Represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, Governor Hyacinth Alia declared that the idea of state policing has come of age and must move from theory to practice. He emphasized that as Chief Security Officer of the state, the governor should have a police structure under his control for efficient policing and overall state security.
The governor highlighted that Nigeria is a federating nation where federating units should exercise self-determination on security matters. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seriously working on a legal framework to establish state policing, describing it as a necessary devolution of powers.
Earlier, the Special Adviser on Security and Internal Affairs, Joseph Har, revealed that Benue already has 5,000 trained personnel with a comprehensive training manual in place. He described the Kukah Centre’s involvement as a strengthening initiative built on existing foundations.
Project Manager of the Kukah Centre, Terseer Bamber, explained that the training began with stakeholder engagements, progressed to signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Benue State Government, and led to the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). He stated that the program is equipping the BSCPGs to better understand their mandate, constitutional limits, and lawful delivery of duties.
Bamber expressed confidence that at the end of the training, the state would have more resilient guards capable of contributing to peace and resilience not only in Benue but across Nigeria.
The initiative comes amid ongoing discussions on state policing, with Benue positioning itself as a leading advocate for decentralized security structures to complement conventional federal forces, which cannot be present everywhere.
