By Chesa Chesa
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that community-based policing is critical to addressing insecurity in Benue and other parts of the country.
Speaking during the State House briefing with correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Alia said local security personnel possess better knowledge of their communities, making them more effective in intelligence gathering and crime prevention than a centrally controlled policing system.
The governor said he had consistently advocated state policing, stressing that while the Nigeria Police Force remains important, security would be strengthened if states were empowered to establish and manage their own police formations.
“My thoughts on state security are that it is a very good idea, and I am among the early governors who proposed state policing,” Alia said.
According to him, people who live within communities can easily identify strangers, understand the terrain and provide timely intelligence needed to prevent attacks and other criminal activities.
He maintained that such a system would complement the federal police and significantly improve security, particularly in states facing persistent attacks by armed groups.
Addressing concerns over local government autonomy, the governor declared that Benue is fully implementing the policy, describing council autonomy as “sacrosanct.”
Alia said local governments in the state now exercise full administrative and financial independence in line with constitutional provisions, while the state government limits its role to supervision and accountability.
“We have complied 100 per cent. Local government autonomy has reduced my burden because councils are now free to execute projects while we monitor and ensure accountability,” he said.
The governor also defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying the increased fiscal space available to states has enabled his administration to invest more in security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and agriculture while meeting inherited financial obligations.
He said the reforms had strengthened governance in Benue and contributed to improving public service delivery across the state.
