The Nigerian Bar Association has called for an urgent overhaul of security operations in Plateau State, including investigations into alleged delays by security agencies responding to attacks, as renewed violence continues to affect communities across the state.
The NBA made the demand on Monday, September 28, 2026, during a press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Jos. The association, represented by the chairmen of its Plateau branches, said repeated attacks in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos local government areas were weakening public confidence in government and raising concerns about the protection of citizens.
The lawyers specifically called for investigations into reports that security personnel sometimes arrive at attack locations only after assailants have withdrawn. They said officers found responsible for unjustified delays should face appropriate sanctions.
The demand comes after several recent incidents in Plateau, including attacks reported despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu. Earlier in September, the state government introduced the restriction following renewed violence in affected communities.
The NBA said the continuation of attacks despite security restrictions requires authorities to examine how personnel and equipment are deployed in vulnerable communities.
Among the incidents highlighted by the association was the killing of community vigilantes at their duty post in Kikyau village, Mangu Local Government Area, during curfew hours. The NBA also referred to reported attacks in Kantoma and Bin-Per in Mangu and several districts in Barkin Ladi, including Kassa, Wereh, Ropp, Fan and Marit.
The association said the pattern raised questions about the ability of security agencies to prevent attacks and respond quickly when threats emerge.
Its demands include:
- Investigation of alleged delays in security responses.
- Sanctions for officers found culpable.
- Redeployment of security vehicles to rural flashpoints.
- Stronger intelligence gathering and surveillance.
- Better equipment and motivation for security personnel.
- Tighter control of uniforms, ammunition and other security equipment.
- Prosecution of people who impersonate security personnel.
The NBA also urged security agencies to review deployments in areas where personnel may have remained for extended periods.
The NBA’s intervention follows a series of attacks reported across Plateau in September.
On September 23, five people, including a police officer, were reported killed in separate incidents in Barkin Ladi and Mangu despite the curfew. Police confirmed the death of a Chief Superintendent of Police and three civilians in Barkin Ladi, while a community group reported three additional deaths in Mangu.
Earlier attacks were also reported in Mangu. Premium Times reported four deaths across communities in the local government area between September 10 and 12, according to the Mwaghavul Youth Movement.
The Plateau government has repeatedly condemned the violence and said it was working with security agencies, traditional institutions and community leaders to strengthen the state’s security architecture. It has also urged residents to provide credible intelligence and avoid reprisals.
The continued incidents have consequently shifted attention from emergency restrictions such as curfews towards questions about intelligence, patrol coverage, rapid response and the prosecution of attackers.
Beyond immediate operational issues, the NBA wants broader changes to the way security responsibilities are distributed between federal and state authorities.
The association called on the Federal Government to sponsor an executive bill that would place security on the Concurrent Legislative List. It said this would give state governments greater control over security operations within their territories.
The call comes as the debate over state police continues at the national level.
The NBA also acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s support for the creation of state police and his recent visit to Plateau following killings in Jos North. However, its latest position goes beyond state police, seeking wider changes in operational control and security coordination.
The association argued that the current command structure needs reconsideration in light of continuing security challenges.
The NBA also acknowledged security measures already undertaken by the Plateau State Government.
According to the association, the state administration has strengthened Operation Rainbow and the Neighbourhood Watch programme, trained about 2,000 personnel and acquired vehicles and motorcycles for security operations.
The lawyers further said the state had established a command and central monitoring centre in Jos and created a committee to examine the establishment of a Plateau State Police Service.
However, the NBA wants some of these measures expanded.
It called for:
- Licensing of Operation Rainbow and Neighbourhood Watch personnel to operate under appropriate security supervision.
- Amendments to the Plateau State Operation Rainbow law.
- Implementation of the state’s Anti-Land Grabbing Law.
- Additional police divisions and forward operating bases.
- Stronger cooperation among Plateau, Bauchi and Taraba states along shared borders.
- Redeployment of security vehicles to communities where attacks remain a threat.
The association also raised concern over reports that some vehicles procured through state government interventions were no longer positioned at rural flashpoints.
The NBA linked security operations to the justice system, arguing that arrests and investigations must ultimately lead to credible prosecutions where evidence supports criminal charges.
It called for time-bound trials of terrorism-related cases and greater transparency around the outcomes of prosecutions involving alleged sponsors and perpetrators of terrorism.
The association said public confidence would improve if citizens could see the legal consequences of violent crimes and if victims and witnesses received adequate protection.
It also pledged to deploy lawyers with expertise in criminal law, constitutional law, human rights, public-interest litigation, alternative dispute resolution and legal aid to support affected communities.
This places the NBA’s intervention within a wider rule-of-law framework: preventing attacks, investigating alleged failures, prosecuting perpetrators and supporting victims.
The association’s recommendations cut across federal, state, local and community institutions.
At the federal level, it wants better equipment for the armed forces and paramilitary agencies, stronger border surveillance and action around vulnerable areas bordering Bauchi and Taraba.
At the state level, it wants stronger Operation Rainbow and Neighbourhood Watch structures, improved deployment of security resources and implementation of relevant state laws.
Local government authorities, meanwhile, were urged to maintain a stronger presence in their areas and improve coordination with the state government.
Traditional rulers were also encouraged to monitor unusual movements and report suspicious activity, while communities were urged to strengthen intelligence gathering and avoid spreading unverified information or taking the law into their own hands.
The latest NBA intervention highlights a central issue in Plateau’s security crisis: whether authorities can move beyond responding after attacks and strengthen systems capable of preventing them.
The recent violence has occurred despite curfews and other government measures, while security agencies continue to face demands for faster intelligence-led operations and improved coverage of rural communities.
For the NBA, the immediate priority is accountability for any proven failures, better deployment of security resources and reforms that give government institutions clearer responsibility and capacity to protect residents.
The coming weeks will show whether the federal and Plateau governments respond to those recommendations with changes in operations, legislation and security coordination.
