Taraba Summit Seeks Community Input Against Insecurity

In continuation of the zonal security consultative summit, the Taraba State government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling insecurity through inclusive dialogue and community participation.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly and chairman of the Security Summit Committee, Hon John Kizito Bonzena, stated this at the Central Zonal Security Summit, held at the Federal Polytechnic, Bali.

The summit brought together government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies and other stakeholders from the Central Zone to deliberate on practical measures to strengthen security and promote peaceful coexistence among the people.

The speaker said the initiative was conceived by Governor Agbu Kefas to provide communities with a platform to present their security concerns directly to the government.

Hon Bonzena said the consultative summit would enable the government and relevant authorities to develop sustainable solutions to the security challenges facing different parts of the state.

He noted that while the protection of lives and property remains government’s primary responsibility, achieving lasting peace requires active collaboration between citizens, government institutions and security agencies.

According to him, security challenges vary from one community to another, making grassroots engagement essential to designing effective responses.

“Government needs to hear directly from the people to fully understand their concerns and develop responses that address the peculiar realities of each community,” he said.

The speaker urged the participants to speak up frankly on the security issues confronting their communities, stressing that the timely resolution of conflicts is critical to preventing the escalation of insecurity.

He warned that unresolved cases of banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and herder-farmer conflicts often provide opportunities for criminal elements to exploit existing tensions.

Hon Bonzena reiterated the commitment of the Kefas administration to addressing security challenges through dialogue, consultation and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.

Also, the chairman of Bali local government area, Hon Habila Balassa, said security is a collective responsibility of all.

Balassa called on residents to support government efforts by remaining vigilant and report suspicious movement to security agencies.

He said prompt sharing of credible information to operatives would help curb emerging threats and sustain peace in the area.