Governor Caleb Mutfwang has restated his firm support for the establishment of state police as part of efforts to tackle insecurity across Plateau State and Nigeria at large.
Speaking at the special court session marking the commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year in Jos, the governor emphasized that the time for state police has come.
“I believe that the time for the creation of state police is now. When we do have state police, I am sure we will be able to respond better and address many situations faster.”
The governor, who commended President Bola Tinubu for joining the call for state police, also urged the National Assembly not to relent in pushing the matter forward.
On strengthening local security, Governor Mutfwang disclosed that the state government will, within the next two weeks, recruit an additional 1,450 personnel into Operation Rainbow.
“Yes, the security challenge has looked us squarely in the face, but we are doing all we can. By God’s grace, we will be bringing in 1,450 fresh personnel to augment security in the state,” he said. “We are not shy of our responsibility to provide security for our citizens. We have not shirked this duty and we will not.”
The governor also called for greater collaboration between citizens and security agencies, particularly in the area of intelligence gathering.
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“As a government, we cannot do much without credible intelligence. Members of the various communities are in a far better position to tell us what is happening. That is why we have created helplines across the state to respond quickly to distress calls,” he explained.
Beyond security, Governor Mutfwang used the occasion to commend the Plateau State judiciary for upholding integrity in the discharge of its duties, while pledging continued support for their welfare.
“I commend you for not allowing yourselves to become the subject of public opprobrium,” he said. “We will continue to improve the conditions of service for judicial officers and ensure that those who retire do not retire into misery and penury.”
He announced that directives had already been given for the payment of outstanding entitlements to retired judges and promised to address long-standing arrears of robe allowances.
The governor concluded with a charge to both the bar and the bench to remain guided by ethics, good conscience, and the fear of God in the new legal year.
The event was attended by judges, senior advocates, members of the Nigerian Bar Association, traditional rulers, and top government officials.