Police, CSOs trained on justice, security dialogue

Twenty three police officers and Civil Society Organizations from Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Zamfara and Plateau States weekend in Jos completed a threeday training on justice and security dialogue.

The training, implemented by the West African Network for Peace Building in collaboration with Centre for Peace and Advancement in Nigeria and funded by the United States Peace Institute, was aimed at strengthening relationship between communities and security agencies.

Deputy Commissioner of Police from Benue State Tajudeen Bakare, who was one of the participants, said though the police is by law expected to police communities, best practices showed that working with stakeholders within communities yielded better security results.

Bakare said: “I recommend a workshop like this by the JSD but they should extend it to all states of the federation not just limit it to states where there is crisis because it is a mechanism for conflict prevention.”

Lawrence Yakaba from Justice Development and Peace Commission in Yola said he was hoping the JSD structure which had been thriving in Plateau State would be replicated in Adamawa State to curb incessant farmer/herder conflicts.

Earlier, Prince Andrea Ugafor, the security commandant of Apata community in Jos North said though the relationship between the community and security agencies had improved, it is only when there is constant meetings and workshops that trust could be built.