Bauchi gov. warns residents to be vigilant of kidnappers

Story from Beatrice EARLAND, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has warned residents of Toro local government area of the state to be vigilant as he expressed concerns over abductions of people in the area.

The Governor stated this during the distribution of empowerment packages to the beneficiaries of Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP), in Toro Local Government area of the state on Saturday.

“Yes, we are paying attention to the issue of security because security in Bauchi is key, and Toro Local Government is the place that is most disturbed by insecurity just because of its geographical location, not because Toro people are criminals or they are harbouring criminals”.

“It is because of the movements of criminals from the North-West, from the North-Central and even within the North-East, so it is an incubation center. People moving from Toro going to Tafawa Balewa, going to Dass, going to Alkaleri”, he added.

“I am still calling on the people of Toro to know that security is a communal issue. We have the joint taskforce that is always paying attention to Toro, but I am disturbed by the spate of abduction, by the spate of insecurity”, the Governor further noted.

Adding that, “It is the only local government that is almost defying solution, but we are going to do more and we are doing more.

Bala, who described the people of Toro as law abiding citizens, attributed the security threat to influx of people from neighboring states into the local local government area.

“Of course there are people coming to settle in Lame forest, I am calling on the local council and the traditional rulers to open their eyes, let them shine their eyes, we are not unwelcoming strangers to come and be with us, but we don’t welcome criminals into our state”, Bala said.

The Governor who decried that Lame/Burra forest which is one of the largest forests in the country is being destroyed, said his administration is putting in stronger measures to put a stop to it.

According to him, his administration has paid attention to the gap in infrastructure in Toro local government, pledging to construct road from Mararraban Gumau to Gumau town, Rishi to Tulu, Rimin Ziyam to Palama, and to Dass local government area before the end of his tenure.

The Governor while stating that PDP is different from the other parties, explained that whatever his government does, is done on behalf of the PDP.

He thanked the people of Toro for supporting, and tendered apology for not doing much for them, adding that so far so good, his administration has been able to keep to its campaign promises.

“For Toro Local Government, what we have is a mixture of gratitude and apology because there are so many areas where we have not done anything”, the governor said.

“As a leader I always make criticisms of myself, what have I done for the local governments on the bases of equity and justice? What have I done on the bases of state character? What have I done for the population on the bases of equity”, he said.

“While I was doing so a while with Chairman of my party and my deputy, I came to realisation that I have done very little in Toro Local Government compared to its population”, he added.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed their happiness at receiving the items and promised to put it to good use.

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