Pioneer Statistician General of Plateau State, Hon Pamson Dagyat, concerned by the flourishing security challenges in Plateau State and desirous to see the situation arrested to halt the spate of killings and destruction of property occasioned by the insecurity, has presented a strategic recommendation to His Excellency, Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, the Executive Governor of Plateau State
According to the Deputy Director General, Strategy, Initiative Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), the full utilisation and capitalisation of the State Security Outfit – Operation Rainbow remains the realistic strategy to halt the incessant attacks on innocent citizens by unknown gunmen.
Hon Dagyat made the recommendation on Friday, 3rd May, 2024 when he appeared as the 16th Guest on the Innovative and Inventive POINTBLANK NEWS BLOG INTERACTIVE SESSION (Ornaija, 2021). “Operation Rainbow has Presidential approval and you can do many creative things with it which GCM is not seeing” Dagyat said
Launched in 2012 by Sen Jonah David Jang, Operation Rainbow, was envisioned to augment the state’s police’s efforts by providing an early warning system and harmonising various civil security outfits. However, its execution has been suboptimal, as evidenced by the continued security instability in the state.
Hon Dagyat’s queried “have you guys noticed the narrative shift in the governor’s stance towards the Fulani terrorists. He once attributed security issues to drug-related problems. However, the latest excuse is that the governor lacks control over government actors’ security apparatus, while non-governmental Fulani terrorists operate freely”.
The Chairman Coalition for Peter Obi – Labour Party Liaison regretted the under utilization of the State Security Outfit Operation Rainbow without harmonising it with other security outfits. “Despite having a significant population of over 3.5 million citizens who could potentially mobilize for self-defence, the situation remains dire. The appointment of a Security Adviser and training of OPs Rainbow seems to be more hype than actual progress”.
The former Jang’s righthand man called for urgently consolidating the state’s security apparatus by optimising what is already at hand through strategic reorientation and implementation, revitalising its working protocol, boosting inter-agency cooperation, and educating communities on its objectives and how they can participate. By harnessing the potential of Operation Rainbow through adequate funding, infrastructural support, and provision of required logistics to galvanise its operations, it will help in early threat identification and swift response.
Reformatting and energising Operation Rainbow could prove to be missing link that is vital in stemming the increasing security challenges plaguing Plateau State and ensuring peace, security, and prosperity for all residents
