By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi has revealed that the state is currently witnessing a deeply concerning resurgence of kidnappings, banditry, and cross-border criminal infiltrations, thereby deteriorating security situation across frontline territories of the state.
The Governor enumerated the areas as Ningi, where remnants of criminal syndicates are attempting to establish footholds in local forests and terrorize the surrounding communities, while Ganjuwa LGA is facing a renewed threat of targeted kidnappings for ransom and other criminal misdemeanors.
Other areas, he pointed out, included Toro Local Government Area which is suffering from spillover of criminal elements fleeing neighboring states and colluding with some residents to unleash mayhem, either in mining areas or on hard-to-reach areas, even in the villages along the adjoining road.
Receiving the General Officer Commanding the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army from Jos headquarters of the division, Major General Woluke Maxwell Dangana in Bauchi, the Governor also cited Gamawa LGA where herders from border states like Yobe, cross to destroy farmlands and attack the people because of the feeling of ownership of the forest that does not belong to them.
Governor Bala added, “Darazo, where farmer-herder clashes are becoming more frequent, leading to the government setting up a judicial panel of inquiry”, recalling that some policemen were loss in recent clash in the area, with so many others, having the bandits killing people with glee.
“Al-Kaleri, where despite our recent victories, asymmetrical sleeper cells are trying to launch particularly hit-and-run attacks on soft targets and colluding with some community leaders. Tactical directive to the council. To the heads of all security formations present here today, my directive is very clear. We must sustain the momentum of the Al-Kaleri operation”.
Senator Bala Mohammed stressed the need for the security operatives to replicate the Alkaleri success across Mingi, Ganjuwa, Toro, and across all the states, with a view to deny the bandits freedom of movement through increased joint motorized patrols and intelligence deployments along Wase-Kanam in Plateau state and Darji-Madam axes of Bauchi state.
“We must eradicate safe havens by aggressively flushing them out from our vast forest reserves, rural markets, and border communities before they consolidate their positions. Through grassroots vigilance and intelligence, our local governments must strengthen community profiling, implementing biometric registration of residents where necessary, and monitor seasonal migration to detect infiltrators”, he said.
Senator Bala Mohammed commended the gallantry, synergy, and resilience of the joint security forces, especially the troops of the Nigerian Army 3 Division, and the 33 Artillery Brigade, the Nigerian Police, the DSS, Civil Defence, and the vigilante that culminated to the success of the recent military operations in Al-Kaleri.
He recalled that through intelligence-led strikes, leading to the successful dislodgement of armed terrorists from Mansur village and surrounding enclaves, dismantled their camps, and neutralized their high-profile criminal elements, stressing that the bravery has facilitated the safe return of thousands of displaced citizens back to their ancestral homes.
“Bauchi State is deeply grateful to His Excellency, Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief, the National Security Advisor, and all their service chiefs that have really given these very rewarding directives that led to this breakthrough. We are very grateful”.
“However, while we celebrate the victories in Al-Kaleri, we cannot afford to become complacent. The adaptive nature of these criminals means that pressure in one zone often forces them to shift their wicked operations elsewhere, as we have seen what is happening in their migratory trend from Zamfara and other places to Bauchi”.
Accord
[08/08, 1:06 am] MUHAMMED KAWU: According to him, silence in the face of crime is an endorsement of it, which he warned, will not be tolerated, and described security as the foundation of the state development, saying”We do not just give verbal support. We match our support with concrete action. We will continue to provide the necessary logistical backing to the security agencies”.
Governor Bala reiterated the commitment of his administration to providing operational support, and the continued improvement of the infrastructure needed to ensure that security forces operate under dignified condition and the access should be available, in addition to the support that is consistently being given.
Bala told the GOC, “We are going to establish and engender collaboration between you, as we are lucky to have a very nice man in the DSS who instigated me to get a technology-based tracking equipment that I am sure he is going to use it along with you so that you will be able to enhance monitoring and evaluation as well as establishing a military base”.
“I think you should also leverage on that so that you can provide comfort to our men that are really exposed to the vagaries of the forest and criminality. We are calling on the Commissioner of Police and the Police High Command and also the military as they are expanding their services”, the governor further stated.
“To our traditional rulers, who are our vital partners in intelligence gathering, we have created emirates and districts and village areas to bring governance closer to the people and enhance our intelligence and community relations. We have inaugurated this set of leaders and provided the support needed for them to function”.
The Governor however cautioned against any abuse of authority or complacency, warning any traditional ruler found allocating land illegally to questionable characters or granting unauthorized community mining access will face the immediate wrath of the law or sanction, or anyone harboring suspected criminals or failing to report suspicious elements to security agencies will face the full wrath of the law.
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