From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Benue State government has engaged the services of ex-servicemen into the Benue State Civil Protection Guard, (CPG) to enable it curb crime and criminalities in the state.
Special Adviser to Benue state Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, PSP said the ex-servicemen were drawn from the military, police and Civil Defence Corps.
Har said the idea was to strengthen the command structure, instill discipline and professionalism to enable the operatives discharge their mandates across the command both at the zonal and local government levels.
The Security Adviser who spoke to newsmen after a workshop with the veterans, senior officers and operatives of the CPG at the command headquarters in Makurdi, expressed confidence that their coming on board will produce the required results.
He explained that the Benue state government collapsed the State Community Volunteer Guards and the State Livestock Guard into one entity called Benue State Civil Protection Guard (BSCPG), which is now in charge of internal security of the state as “first responders.”
According to him “What is happening here today is a mini workshop between the existing commanders of the former volunteer guards and Benue state livestock guards, which has been collapsed as the “CPG commanders” at local government and zonal levels.”
“We also have co-opted some retiree veterans of the military, police and paramilitary to also be called commanders of the CPG. The essence is for them to instill that discipline that they knew over the years into the CPG, because operatives of the CPG were not formally trained.
“The training they got is a minimal training that require more experience from these veterans and support, both in tactics and professionalism to become a formidable force in Benue.”
The Adviser allayed the fears of existing commanders that no one will be removed but will serve as operational commanders under the veterans who will superintend over them, to guide them properly on how to do things on ethics, conducts as well basic principles of human rights, drugs and trafficking.
He further noted that for CPG Quick Rapid Squad, (QRS) has also been established currently undergoing training in the last two weeks to complement other security agencies in tackling crime and criminality in the communities, especially as the Christmas and New Year festivities draw near.
The veterans in their separate remarks pledged to put in their best to achieve set goals especially in eliminating and reducing crimes to the barest minimum.