Peace Architecture Dialogue takes Advocacy Message to Benue Police Command
Peace Architecture Dialogue Members at Benue Police Command
George Tseen
In a bid to strengthen peaceful collaboration, the Benue State Peace Architecture Dialogue (PAD) Steering committee Sponsored by Search for Common Ground (SFCG) paid an advocacy visit to the Office of the Commissioner of Police Benue Command on 4th day of February, 2020 at the Police Headquarters Makurdi, Benue state. The meeting had in attendance the Commissioner/Officers of Police Benue Command, Director Technical Cooperation Benue State Planning Commission, Legal Advisor PAD, Secretary PAD, Vice Secretary PAD, Program Assistant, Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and Media Fellows.
The Benue State PAD Chairperson Dr. Sam Onom Director General BSPC who was represented by the Director Technical Cooperation Mrs. Iember Dagih in her remarks stated that “Police protect lives and properties, and have been living through their mandate. We must commend your office Sir, on behalf of the DG BSPC Dr. Sam Onom who is unavoidably absent, we have been searching for peace in Benue state and I believe that is why search is here.” She highlighted the role of BSPC that BSPC is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating donor development partners to ensure collaboration in areas required and to also ensure they deliver their mandates through collaborative effort. Further more, she said Search for Common Ground has achieved some milestones through the collaborative efforts with the office of the Commissioner of Police. Hence, the steering committee of the Peace Architecture Dialogue formed by SFCG wish to seek for more collaboration with the Police.
Presenting the advocacy message on behalf of the Steering Committee, the Legal Advisor of PAD Joseph Gbagyo read out the advocacy messages brought forth, making it known to the Commissioner that SFCG is the first organization to have carried out awareness/sensitization on the ‘Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment law 2017’ with over 80 stakeholders in attendance. He further intimated the Commissioner of police on certain issues and concerns encountered as enumerated by stakeholders at the PAD meetings in Benue State to include the following:
Alleged interferences with criminal arrests and prosecution processes, by influential persons in the society.
Gender Based Violence (GBV); priority should be given in terms of investigation and prosecutions, such offences should not be compounded
CP Garba Mukaddas in his response welcomed the PAD steering committee to his office saying it is a privilege to receive, collaborate and interact with the delegation. According to the CP “You might not realize what you have done to me, you have widened my knowledge with this visit, I met with the Executive Governor on my way to Office today and we had an extensive discussion on the law and its implementations”. The CP went further that it is one thing to establish a law and the other thing is to educate the people on the law. The law should be given a human face and thus more enlightenment needs to be carried out. “I just acquired a copy of the documented version of the law today; I also met with the Special Adviser on Fulani Matters to discuss on security challenges, and to meet with the leadership of both farmer and herders and to also find measures to sensitize their members on possible ways of peaceful co-existence especially as it relates to the law. ‘Where your freedom begins another man’s freedom ends’, we try to see that we don’t detain suspect for long but arraigned them.
CP Mukaddas stated that his command is working towards setting up a community policing where trained plain cloth personnel will be deploy in communities for surveillance and information gathering . He assures that the command is solidly behind the activities of SFCG in the state towards protection of lives and properties and also appreciated the efforts put in place by SFCG and the commitment of the PAD steering committee, saying the Police doors are open to discuss on peace and security of the state.
The steering committee members appreciated the effort of the security in combating issues of insecurity in the state and appreciated the Commissioner for hosting them..
