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Insecurity: Alia calls for community-centred approach at North Central security summit

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Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has called for a community-centred approach to tackling insecurity in the North Central region, warning that lasting solutions must go beyond military deployments.

Alia made the call on Monday while hosting participants at the North Central Regional Security Summit at the New Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.

The summit brought together governors, security chiefs, community leaders and other stakeholders from across the North Central geopolitical zone to discuss measures to address insecurity in the region.

The governor said traditional rulers, border communities and grassroots intelligence networks must be incorporated into security strategies to effectively confront emerging threats.

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“The moment we set aside our differences to confront the enemy of insecurity, half the battle is already won,” Alia said.

He stressed that collaboration should go beyond rhetoric and translate into practical measures involving people at the grassroots, whom he described as custodians of the land with access to early warning information on security threats.

The summit, organised by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, is aimed at developing localised responses to banditry, farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping, violent extremism and organised crime across the region.

Alia said he pushed for Benue to host the summit because of the security challenges that have affected the Benue-Plateau axis over the years.

According to him, addressing insecurity also requires tackling underlying socio-economic factors, including poverty and idleness, while strengthening intelligence-sharing and community engagement.

The governor further described the security of the North Central as critical to Nigeria’s food security and economic stability, citing the region’s contribution to agriculture and mineral resources.

“When the North Central is insecure, it is not only our problem; the whole country feels it on its dining table,” he said.

Alia urged participants to ensure that the summit produces practical and sustainable outcomes rather than ending with speeches and resolutions that are not implemented.

He called for operational recommendations and institutional mechanisms capable of surviving successive administrations.

The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts towards addressing insecurity in the country and urged participants to work towards achieving the objectives of the summit.

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PSC deploys new CPs for Plateau, three other states

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The chairman urged the senior officers to be impartial and live up to the expectations of their new offices.

The post PSC deploys new CPs for Plateau, three other states appeared first on Peoples Gazette Nigeria.

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ADC crisis: Bala Gombe reacts as court sacks David Mark, nullifies Atiku's emergence as presidential candidate

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Factional National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Bala Gombe, has reacted to the court judgement that sacked David Mark's faction of the party and nullified Atiku Abubakar's candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.

Gombe commended the Federal High Court and the trial judge for what he described as the independent, impartial and intellectually rigorous manner in which the matter was handled and determined.

He said his commendation, as a citizen and stakeholder in the nation's democracy, was that of someone who recognised that when a court speaks with clarity, courage and fidelity to the law, the public must also respond with gratitude.

"By every measure, this was a politically sensitive, highly charged and nationally watched dispute. It touched on party autonomy, internal democracy, constitutional supremacy within political associations, and the proper role of the Independent National Electoral Commission as regulator," Gombe said in a statement reacting to the judgement.

"It is precisely in such cases that judicial independence is most tested, and most needed.

"By subjecting the question of leadership emergence to constitutional and statutory scrutiny, rather than to political expediency, His Lordship affirmed a foundational principle of Nigerian jurisprudence as provided in Sections 1, 6, 228 and 223(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: political parties are not above their own constitutions, and the Electoral Act is not a mere suggestion.

"Where a party's constitution prescribes a procedure for succession and leadership must be obeyed. Where a political party fails to comply with the rules, procedures, and constitutional provisions laid down for its own governance, the court is duty-bound to intervene in order to safeguard democracy, uphold the rule of law, and prevent anarchy, as no man is above the law, and no man is below it.

"This commendation is not merely about one litigant succeeding and another losing. It is about what the judgement represents for Nigerians and for the African Democratic Congress:

"It restores public confidence that a judge can still decide on the law and the facts alone, uninfluenced by political pressure, media commentary, or the weight of personalities involved in the suit.

"It affirms that leadership must emerge through lawful process, not through imposition, and that aggrieved members have a legitimate right to seek redress in court rather than resort to self-help.

"It reassures ordinary Nigerians that the court remains the last hope of the common man, and indeed, of every man.

"As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, 'justice must not only be done, but must manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done.' His Lordship's conduct in this suit embodies that principle.

"I therefore respectfully commend His Lordship for upholding the independence of the judiciary and the sanctity of the judicial oath to do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will; demonstrating patience, erudition, and firmness in a matter of immense political sensitivity; and delivering a judgement that strengthens the rule of law, party discipline, and constitutional democracy in Nigeria.

"May His Lordship's example continue to inspire the Bench and the Bar, and may the Federal High Court continue to stand as a bastion of impartial justice.

"I also wish to place on record my profound commendation to our team of lawyers for their exceptional diligence, intellectual rigour, and unwavering commitment to the cause of justice. Their professionalism, perseverance, and fidelity to the rule of law were instrumental in ensuring that justice was not only sought, but seen to be done.

"I further extend my heartfelt gratitude to our teeming supporters across the length and breadth of this country for their steadfastness, loyalty, and fervent prayers throughout this process. Your faith and solidarity have been a source of immense strength and encouragement."

ADC crisis: Bala Gombe reacts as court sacks David Mark, nullifies Atiku’s emergence as presidential candidate

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