Criminals can't turn Bauchi into theater of insecurity under my watch

By Rauf Oyewole

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has vowed that under his watch, the state would not be turned into a theater of insecurity by criminal elements.

Speaking while presenting the 2026 budget proposal estimates on Thursday in Bauchi, the Governor said that a lot has been put in place to ensure that the State is relatively peaceful and secure.

The Governor warned that anyone who tries to cause any form of conflict in the state would face the full wrath of the law.

He warned traditional rulers and government officials to desist from being used to promote criminal activities by harbouring or giving cover to bandits and criminals or selling of government grazing areas or reserves would be dealt with, adding that his administration would not allow forests in the state be used as a safe haven for banditry.

"Let me issue a very clear and unambiguous warning, Bauchi has sacrificed a lot to attain the current level of peace and stability. Therefore, we will not allow criminal elements, by whatever name they call themselves, to turn our state into a theater of insecurity.

"Anyone who attempts to bring banditry, kidnapping, terrorism or any other form of violent crime into Bauchi, will face the full wrath of the law, and they will have to pass through all the citizens of Bauchi, because we are all policemen today.

"I swear to you, before Almighty Allah, that anyone who tries to create conflict in this state will be dealt with decisively within the confines of the law and the institution," he declared.

He stated that his administration is not sleeping, but is doing everything possible to ensure that the state is peaceful too.

"We have people in all the nooks and crannies giving us information, and we know that this information may be arbitrary, but sometimes, information is better received than nothing coming. We try to use them most judiciously to assist the security agencies and to assist us to make the state safe.

"I also want to call on our emirs, traditional title holders and local government chairmen to continue to be part of the solution and never part of the problem. No traditional leader, village or local government official must partake in or tolerate criminal activities that are harbouring bandits, negotiating illegal settlements with criminals or selling community farmlands, forest reserves or grazing areas without the approval of the state government.

"Anyone found aiding abating or giving cover to criminals or illegally disposing of land and forest resources, even at the level of the Ministry of Lands, will be dealt with severely," he warned.

Mohammed declared that his administration is determined to stop illegal deforestation, illegal mining, illegal charcoal production and the use of forests as hideouts for criminals.

He said: "We will continue to balance the needs of farmers , herders, investors and future generations in a responsible manner, but we will not allow any forest, mountain or settlement in Bauchi State to become a sanctuary for bandits and other criminal elements.”