Lawyers Alert convenes strategic gathering of government and civil society actors to advance the People-Centered Public Safety Programme.

Lawyers Alert has convened what stakeholders described as a rare and strategic multi-sectoral meeting to advance the implementation of the People-Centered Public Safety Programme in Benue State.

The meeting, convened by the Bureau of International Cooperation and Development on behalf of Lawyers Alert, brought together representatives of the Open Society Foundations, key Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and leading civil society organisations to strengthen coordination and scale implementation of the programme across the state.

Participants described the engagement as timely, particularly in the context of sustaining the recent adoption of the People-Centered Public Safety Model as a state policy framework. Discussions focused on institutional alignment, expanding the model to additional Local Government Areas (LGAs), and consolidating lessons from pilot communities.

Participating MDAs, including the Benue State Peace Commission, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, and the Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs, commended the programme for placing communities at the centre of their own safety governance.

They pledged readiness to support its expansion to more LGAs, noting that the framework strengthens trust between citizens and security institutions while promoting inclusive participation, particularly for women, youths, and internally displaced persons.

Civil society partners applauded the innovative security model and committed to closing critical implementation gaps, deepening coordination mechanisms, and ensuring sustainability. International and humanitarian actors, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, and Tearfund, described the initiative as a practical demonstration of rights-based and community-driven security reform.

They collectively agreed to reconvene next month to further explore areas of collaboration, refine operational strategies, and draw lessons that will enhance implementation effectiveness across the state.

Other programme partners, including Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Dataphyte, and NESTIR, emphasized the need for sustained synergy among civil groups to maintain momentum and ensure measurable outcomes.

Representatives of the Open Society Foundations noted that it was inspiring to see key stakeholders gathered around one table for a shared purpose, describing the engagement as rare and encouraging. They stressed that such multi-actor collaboration is essential to embedding people-centered security governance and ensuring long-term impact.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to institutionalize coordination platforms, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and expand the People-Centered Public Safety Programme as a model for inclusive security reform in Benue State.