By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos
Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPAN) Plateau State chapter has opined that intelligence gathering by the state government is key to ending the spate of violent conflicts in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The group said government needs to do more in intelligence gathering as the only way out.
The association made their views known during a roundtable discussion held in Steffan Hotel, Rayfield Jos yesterday.
State chairman of the private security practitioners and Chief Executive of Executive Guard Limited, Chief Edinen Usoro in his opening remarks said, ‘We condemned in totality the resurgence of violence in some parts of the state, which was an escalation of continuous attacks and killings by unknown gunmen in some communities.
“We as private security practitioners are not happy with the development and feel that we should meet in roundtable to discuss the state of security in the state and suggest to government what we think can bring an end to these conflicts”
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The group in its resolution after the roundtable said, “We hereby advice the state government to take issue of intelligence seriously because there is no option to it.
“We prescribe more synergy among stakeholders, especially between government, traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, youths and other segments of the society.
“We urge the state government to ensure that justice is done to victims of violence to avoid reprisals.”
The group advocated for the restoration of security powers to traditional rulers as primary security managers of their respective communities.
The security experts also urged government to utilise the availability of private security companies in the state to engage in real-time intelligence gathering, as is done in developed societies.
“Government should ensure that violators of human rights to lives be punished to serve as deterrent to other criminally-minded people.”
The chairman of the association later presented membership registration certificate to the private security companies to differentiate them from unlicensed security companies operating in the state with a call on government and corporate organisations not to patronise unregistered private security companies in the state.
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