Governor Caleb Mutfwang has commissioned an additional 150 agro-rangers to provide dedicated security for farmers and their produce across the state.
Speaking at the passing-out parade of the trainees at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Command and Staff College, Naton-Fursa, Jos East Local Government Area of the State, the governor said the initiative was a strategic intervention aimed at ensuring food security in Nigeria.
The governor, who reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to peace, unity, and inclusive development, said Nigerian farms are national assets that must be protected.
He explained that the journey of farmers to and from the farms must be safe and secured if food security is to be guaranteed for the nation.
Mutfwang thanked God and acknowledged the significance of the event in the ongoing efforts to strengthen security and peace across Plateau State.
The governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his support, and to the nation’s security chiefs for their collaborative efforts in addressing the security challenges confronting the state, specifically commending the NSCDC for its innovative agro-rangers initiative which he described as a laudable strategy that complemented the efforts of conventional security agencies in safeguarding rural communities and farmlands.
He emphasised that rural insecurity undermined national stability and economic growth, warning that a hungry population was vulnerable to manipulation.
Governor Mutfwang further revealed that security agencies, including the agro-rangers, recently facilitated the peaceful evacuation of thousands of stranded cattle from Bokkos Local Government Area without incident, demonstrating their commitment to maintaining peace through professionalism and dialogue.
Addressing the graduating agro-rangers, the governor charged them to discharge their duties with integrity, fairness, and patriotism.
Earlier, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, noted that the event marks the second batch of agro-rangers deployed in Plateau State, reaffirming the corps’ determination to support the state government in tackling security challenges, especially in farming communities.