As part of efforts to strengthen intelligence gathering and tackle insecurity in Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang has disclosed that his administration is set to establish operational camps of Operation Rainbow in all 17 local government areas of the state.

The governor said 11 operational camps had already been established, while vehicles and motorcycles would be distributed to operatives for deployment to their respective local government areas.

Speaking at the passing-out parade of 353 retrained Operation Rainbow operatives at the Zaria Road Stadium in Jos, the governor said his administration was also strengthening the agency’s intelligence-gathering capacity through technology, including drones and a command and control centre, to improve surveillance and the timely transmission of security information.

“It is the intention of the state that each local government will have an operational camp that will use drones in getting information in real time and passing it to other security agencies so that they can utilise it,” he said

He explained that Operation Rainbow was primarily an intelligence-gathering outfit and not an armed force, stressing that its personnel were trained to complement conventional security agencies in tackling criminal activities.

Mutfwang added that the operatives, being residents of the communities where they operate, possessed knowledge of the terrain that could assist security agencies in identifying threats and responding to emergencies.

The governor also disclosed that the agency had over 25 gun trucks, which were made available to Operation Enduring Peace and other security agencies to support their operational movements.

He said the state had established the Plateau State Special Activities Centre, known as PSAC, equipped with drones and monitoring facilities to enable security authorities to monitor developments across the state in real time.

Mutfwang, who described peace and security as cardinal priorities of his administration, said the retraining of the operatives was aimed at improving their professional competence, discipline, intelligence-gathering skills and ability to provide early warnings against security threats.

The governor further directed the operatives to work in collaboration with conventional security agencies, traditional institutions and community leaders, stressing that intelligence sharing and mutual cooperation were essential to achieving lasting peace.

He also warned against what he described as deliberate attempts by some individuals to discredit security operatives through social media, saying such actions could undermine security operations and embolden criminals.

“There has been a lot of noise on social media. Some people who support criminality are trying to ensure that they give our security operatives a bad name in order to discourage them. We have seen attacks on the DSS, on the Mobile Police, on Operation Rainbow,” he said.

Mutfwang maintained that complaints against security personnel should be channelled through the appropriate authorities rather than social media.

“If there is a genuine complaint of overreach by any of the security operatives, it is the right to channel it. It is not by going to social media to fight a war against these security agencies and eventually embolden criminals within our borders,” he stated.

He warned residents, particularly young people, against circulating unverified information, noting that false reports could endanger lives and jeopardise ongoing security operations.

“Every wrong information you put out there puts many lives in danger. You must exercise restraint and ensure that you do not put other lives in jeopardy,” he said.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, Brigadier-General Nash Yakubu (retd.), said the retraining of the operatives had become necessary to equip them with the skills required to address contemporary security challenges.

He said the training was designed to improve the operatives’ ability to identify, assess and respond to security threats, monitor suspicious activities, handle emergencies, and maintain effective communication and coordination.

Yakubu explained that Operation Rainbow worked in collaboration with Operation Enduring Peace, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Immigration Service and vigilante groups to gather and transmit intelligence to relevant security authorities.

He commended Mutfwang for approving and funding the retraining exercise, while appreciating other security agencies for their cooperation in the collective effort to restore peace in Plateau State. (Nigerian Tribune)