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Insurgency: Bauchi govt raises alarm over influx of IDPs from neighbouring states

 

Bauchi State government on Monday raised an alarm over the security threats to the state following an influx of armed bandits from neighbouring states where insurgent group, Boko Haram operates and causes hardship.

Addressing journalists at the Government House, Bauchi, after an emergency security council meeting, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mohammed Sabiu Baba, raised the alarm, adding that some bandits have infiltrated the state.

The SSG, who was in the company of security agents while addressing journalists, informed that no fewer than five bandits had been nabbed by security operatives in the state so far.

He said the recent attack on Geidam in Yobe State by Boko Haram terrorists had led to an influx of people into Bauchi State, adding that this had put the state under security threats.

He informed that people were coming into the state through four local governments areas in the northern part of the state, adding that facilities in Bauchi State were being overstretched as a result of the influx.

The local government areas through which people enter Bauchi according to Baba, are Gamawa; Dambam; Darazo and Zaki.

Baba said these LGAs share boundaries with Yobe State and are closer to Geidam, where Biko Haram elements recently hoisted their flag after capturing the town.

“This influx of the displaced people has put the state under security threat. Our facilities are now overstretched and we are not comfortable with the development. Security strategies have been developed to ensure that the threat does not turn into attack in the state,” the SSG said.

He informed that henceforth people coming into the state, particularly through the four affected LGAs, would be properly profiled to ensure that they do not enter the state with weapons.

The scribe said the state government had decided to intensify security operations, including air surveillance in the affected areas of the state.

“We have decided to commence profiling of all the people coming into Bauchi State particularly in the four affected LGAs will be done in order to discover those with dangerous weapons and demobilize them.

“The state government will ensure that the joint operations of the security agencies will be intensified, particularly air surveillance around the affected LGAs,” Baba revealed.

He revealed that some bandits were arrested while vandalising MTN installations in Gamawa Local Government Area of the state.

“Some bandits have been arrested for vandalizing the MTN installations in Gamawa LGA with the intention of blocking communications in the area in preparation for an attack,” the SSG informed.

While saying that the state government will identify internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had entered Bauchi State, the SSG said that currently they were not being camped in a particular place.

He said the displaced persons were mingling and moving among people of the four affected LGAs, adding that they were being accommodated by residents of the communities in the areas.

He, however, said that security agencies would go round the communities to fish out the displaced person ] for proper identification and provision of relief materials for them.

Saga Gist had on 30th April 2021 reported that there was fear among residents over the influx of people from states experiencing Boko Haram activities and banditry, which is threatening the relative peace in the state.

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