The Plateau State Government has resumed the training of the second batch of recruits under its community-based security outfit, Operation Rainbow, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen grassroots security across all 17 local government areas of the state.
The initiative is part of the government’s plan to recruit and train more than 1,400 local security operatives who will support intelligence gathering, community protection, and rapid response to emerging threats.
Speaking on Tuesday, 2nd December, at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Command and Staff College in Jos East, the Special Adviser on Security and Homeland Safety and Acting Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, Brig. Gen. Gakji Shipi (Rtd.), addressed the newly admitted trainees, noting that the second batch is expected to perform even better than the first.
“We had a good outing with the first set, but naturally we expect this second set to do better,” he said. “There were a few shortcomings in the first training cycle, which we are correcting now, but the overall structure remains the same.”
Brig. Gen. Shipi explained that unlike the earlier group of 600 operatives, who were trained primarily for intelligence gathering, the current batch will focus more on tactical deployment and community defense.
“These operatives will serve as the first line of protection for the communities,” he said. “While they will still receive basic intelligence training, their main role is to perform garrison duties and protect vulnerable areas across the state.”
He added that the trainees will be deployed to the specific communities from which they were recruited to ensure familiarity with local terrains and security dynamics.
The Acting Coordinator stated that the second batch includes vigilantes and local hunters already serving voluntarily in their communities, which is why age restrictions and other strict criteria were relaxed.
“We didn’t just recruit jobless people off the streets,” he noted. “These individuals were already safeguarding their communities. We are simply formalizing their roles, refining their skills, and integrating them into a structured security framework.”
With the addition of the new recruits, the state security outfit now has 1,450 trained personnel, he confirmed
Responding to questions on the use of technology, Brig. Gen. Shipi noted that relevant tech systems are already available and will be utilized by the operatives once deployed.
“Technology offers information and situational awareness, but without people to use it, it is useless. The operatives will work with the systems we already have in place to enhance community protection.”
Some of the trainees, including Fanim Nanpak and Paius Umaru, said they enrolled to help tackle insecurity affecting their communities.
“I decided to join this training because of the insecurity in my local government,” Nanpak said. “We want to be trained so we can serve as first responders and support the security agencies effectively.”
The Plateau State Government says the training marks another step in its sustained commitment to building a stronger, more responsive community security architecture capable of preventing attacks, protecting rural communities, and improving peace across the state.
