The Executive Chairman of Jos South Local Government, Hon. Silas Patrick Dung, has intensified calls for comprehensive security reforms during a working visit by the Plateau State Fact-Finding Committee to critical flashpoints including Gyero, Gyel, and Dogo Nahawa.
The committee, established by the Governor, His Excellency Barr. Caleb Mutfwang and led by retired Major General Nicholas Rogas, is examining the root causes of persistent violence that has plagued Plateau State since 2001. The Chairman guided the team through conflict zones, providing firsthand insights into security challenges.
He presented a detailed analysis of the security challenges facing the region.
The chairman dismissed common characterizations of the conflict as mere “farmer-herder clashes,” instead identifying the perpetrators as terrorists who kill and illegally occupy lands. He emphasized that Jos South, while not always the epicenter of attacks, has consistently served as a transit route and soft target for violence due to its strategic location bordering multiple local governments.
A central part of the chairman’s submission focused on the urgent need for state policing. He criticized Nigeria’s current security architecture as ineffective, noting that constitutional chief security officers at state and local levels lack operational control over police forces. The chairman argued that the debate about state police should move beyond political considerations, as the current system’s bureaucratic delays routinely result in preventable loss of life.
While advocating for the adoption of modern security technology, Hon. Dung stressed that no solution would be complete without leveraging local knowledge. He maintained that community-based policing remains the most effective approach to securing vulnerable areas.
Gen. Rogas explained that the committee aims to move beyond superficial assessments hence the need to physically visit conflict sites, interview affected communities, and gather photographic evidence to inform its recommendations. He promised the committee would incorporate these on the ground observations into its recommendations.
Christy Pam Makut
Press Secretary to the Executive Chairman, Jos South Local Government Council.
