The immediate past Senator representing Plateau North, Senator Istifanus D. Gyang, has declared that state policing and comprehensive justice reforms are essential to ending the security challenges confronting Plateau and the nation.
The former lawmaker made this known during an interactive session with Journalists in Jos, where he articulated a comprehensive vision for tackling insecurity through constitutional amendments and institutional strengthening.
Speaking on the critical issue of security, Sen. Gyang said that the Constitution places an unambiguous duty on government to protect citizens, a responsibility that requires urgent and decisive action.
“In our constitution, it says that the primary responsibility of government is the security and well-being of the people. Primary focus and responsibility of government are on the security and well-being of the people.”
He stressed that the current framework, which centralizes security command under the President, has proven ineffective in responding to local emergencies, making a case for devolving power to the states.
“Under the current constitutional arrangement, the federal government has that responsibility. Because all the officers and the police, the entire security apparatus and the entire infrastructure is largely under the command of the President. To that extent, the states do not have that ability to do what they ought to do, to intervene in localities that, just as all politics is local, security issues are best tackled at the local level.”
Sen. Gyang disclosed that progress is being made toward the long-awaited constitutional alterations that would enable state policing, noting that acceptance across the country.
“The long-awaited constitutional alteration that will allow for the inhibition of power for the states to be empowered in terms of establishment of peace is something that is already accepted by all Nigerians with a few objections, and all states have indicated their willingness.”
He further linked the success of security reforms to effective justice administration, pointing out that weak prosecution and accountability mechanisms have perpetuated cycles of violence and impunity.
“That takes me to the top issue of justice administration, which has been one of the reasons where we find that people that have been arrested, apprehended, before you know it, they are back as a result of the weak education process.”
The Senator called for enhanced collaboration among state governments, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders to strengthen intelligence gathering and ensure that apprehended criminals face swift and conclusive justice.
According to Sen. Gyang, combining constitutional reforms that empower states with a robust justice system will break the cycle of insecurity and restore public confidence in the ability of government to protect lives and property.
