Fear, concern are growing in Bauchi as the military ‘kills’ terrorists and bandits from neighboring states

Bauchi State, in the North-East, is bordered to the north by Kano and Jigawa States, to the south by Taraba and Plateau States, to the east by Gombe and Yobe States, and to the west by Kaduna State.

Despite the relative peace in the state, Bauchi State still has its fair share of insecurity, including kidnapping, cattle rustling, thuggery, and rape, among other crimes, which both the state government and security agencies are assiduously battling to eliminate in order to ensure that the relative peace in the state is maintained for the benefit of the people.

People fear that fleeing bandits will find their way into Bauchi State, especially with the presence of Lame Burra forest in Ningi Local Government Area, Balmo forest in Gajuwa LGA, Yuda and Mundu, Panshanu and Megemu forests in Toro LGA, and Yankari Games Reserve in Alkaleri LGA.

According to security sources, the location of these forests in the state could provide a safe haven for fleeing bandits who have turned Bauchi State into their operational base to avoid military bombardment in the ongoing operation against them.

In response to this fear, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, stated that the police were aware of the location of the forests and had taken proactive measures to ensure a crime-free Bauchi State, including sustained operations, intelligence-led community-policing engagements, and other crime-fighting strategies.

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“The Command has put in place crime prevention measures, such as visibility policing, community partnerships, constant raids of black spots, regular foot and vehicular patrols, surveillance on buildings and vulnerable areas, stop and search, and intelligence-led policing through partnership with sister agencies and other non-governmental organizations in o,” according to the police image maker.

While acknowledging that the state’s forests provide cover for criminal elements, Wakil stated that the police and other stakeholders, such as other security agencies and vigilante groups such as Danga Security, were working together to ensure that the state was secure from bandits and other criminals fleeing Zamfara and other Northern states.

“Police and other security agencies in the state have now joined hands to secure and block all borders that lead into the state,” the PPRO said, adding that the state’s relative peace was due to the robust synergy with the state government and other security agencies, vigilante groups, religious/traditional institutions, youths, and other stakeholders.

To ensure that peace reigns in Bauchi State, the police spokesman stated that the state’s police recently rounded up some arms and ammunition.

He said the weapons included 25 AK-47 rifles, one locally made SMG, one locally fabricated AK47, one English Barretta and one magazine, 27 rusted/unserviceable locally made revolvers, 29 unserviceable locally made pistols and cartridges, two pistol Berettas, five Dane guns, three locally made single barrel guns, three locally made revolver pistols, and six locally made pistols.

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He went on to say that the ammunition recovered in the state included 874 7.6mm rounds, 5,022 5.56mm rounds, 113 9X19mm rounds, 274 62.7mm rounds, and 177 38mm rounds, among other things.

While reiterating that the police will continue to protect the state not only from bandits and other criminal elements, the PPRO urged residents to continue to provide information that will allow police and other security agencies to take swift action to prevent banditry and other crimes.

In a similar vein, Alhaji Umaru Aliyu Alkaleri, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the State Governor on Security, described Bauchi as the most secure state in Northern Nigeria.

He stated that the Bauchi State government was doing everything possible to keep the state free of banditry and other forms of criminality in order to maintain the current relative peace.

As part of its effort to combat insecurity and bandits across the state, the government deployed about 10,000 hunters to support police and other security agencies, according to Alkaleri, who also stated that the government distributed 70 patrol vehicles to hunters and security agencies to ease their operations.

“In light of the current security situation in Zamfara, Katsina, and other parts of the country, the Bauchi State government has registered hunters in the state’s 20 local government areas. With the help of security agencies, the hunters will assist in routine patrol as well as dislodge suspected bandit camps in the state’s forests,” the governor’s security aide said.

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Alkaleri, who is also the state chairman of the Nigerian Hunters Association, said that registered hunters had been patrolling the state’s nooks and crannies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to make citizens sleep with their eyes closed. He went on to say that the hunters were working with security agents in all of the state’s 20 local government areas.

He said that in the state, hunters recently arrested 29 suspects accused of kidnapping, banditry, and armed robbery, and that they also demolished a kidnappers’ camp between Dass and Tafawa Balewa.

He then urged traditional rulers, particularly district, village, and ward heads, to continue to provide security agencies with all necessary support and cooperation in order to make Bauchi the most peaceful state in the country.

On his part, Air Commodore Ahmed Tijjani Baba Gamawa (rtd) said that, despite the country’s current security situation, particularly in some Northern states, “we are really lucky in Bauchi State.” Only Bauchi is peaceful when compared to the rest of the Northeast sub-region.”

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He claimed that, despite the fact that bandits and other criminal elements may be tempted to flee to Bauchi and other neighboring states as a result of the military’s onslaught, such disgruntled elements would find it difficult to gain access to Bauchi State due to the measures already in place.

This, he claims, is due to the fact that the state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, does not take security issues lightly, adding that the governor has been providing logistics for the state’s security agencies.

“The governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, is the type of person who takes security seriously. He collaborates with security agencies and looks after security operatives by providing vehicles and other logistics. He also ensures that they have everything they need to do their jobs well, such as securing the state to prevent bandits and other bad people from entering,” the retired military officer explained.

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“We have military and police checkpoints,” he said, adding that all entry points into the state have been secured.

Despite the fact that the situation is peaceful, other stakeholders interviewed believe that security agencies and the state government should not rest on their laurels in order to avoid being caught off guard by bandits, insurgents, and other criminals.