Dachung Musa Bagos, former lawmaker representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, has linked the prolonged violence in Plateau State to Nigeria’s centralized security framework, saying the current model has failed to protect citizens and communities.
Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Jos, Bagos called for a bold shift toward localized policing, stressing that only state-managed security can address the region’s peculiar challenges.
“If we want to see change, we need state police,” Bagos stated. “Security must be rooted in local knowledge. When a Taroh person is DPO in Taroh land, he won’t just know the terrain—he’ll know the people and the history of the conflict.”
He criticized what he described as the federal government’s inconsistent priorities, highlighting the ease with which financial crimes are traced compared to violent crimes.
“If the EFCC can trace billions stolen by politicians, why can’t our security agencies trace mass murderers over the same period?” he asked.
Bagos also condemned the apparent retaliation against community members who report threats or attacks.
He noted that whistleblowers often become victims of harassment or wrongful detention.
“Instead of acting on reports, agencies sometimes turn on the people who raise the alarm,” he said.
He described the violence in the region as being sustained by a network of interests. “
Conflict has become profitable for some. It’s an economy of violence. There are people whose survival depends on this insecurity,” Bagos noted.
Calling on Plateau’s youth, Bagos urged a new generation to step into leadership with integrity. “Don’t wait to be pushed, Take responsibility and build credibility—our future depends on it.”
He also appealed to journalists to actively defend the state’s reputation in the face of misinformation.
“Your pen is more powerful than the gun. Don’t let fake news destroy Plateau’s image. The lies scare investors and travellers. You have a duty to speak the truth.”he told the press.
