Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria, Plateau State Chapter, has advised Plateau State Government to prioritise intelligent gathering as preventive measure to the various security challenges affecting the state.
The association, who insist that government should take responsibility for failing in its primary duty to protect lives and properties as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, urged government to wake up to its responsibility.
The private security experts, however, said the security situation in the state is not insurmountable if government is decisive in its constitutional responsibilities.
The group, which disclosed this during its monthly roundtable meeting on issues of insecurity in Plateau State, said they are prepared to deploy their technical knowledge and experience in internal security for the government to find lasting solution to the violence.
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 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 felt 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”
All the managers of licensed private security company in the state were unanimous in their opinion that government should take strategic step to address the prevailing security situation in the stste.
They suggested more synergy among stakeholders especially between government, traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, youths and other segments of the society.
They urged the state government ensure justice is done to victims of violence to avoid reprisals. The group also 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 realtime intelligence gathering as it is done in developed societies.
“Government should ensure that violators of human rights are severely 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 organizations not to patronise unregistered private security companies in the state.