Bauchi Governor To Residents: Defend Yourselves Against Bandits

Following the rising insecurity in the state, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has called on residents to “take up arms and defend” themselves against bandits.

Naija News reports that Mohammed said this on Thursday during his condolence visit to Duguri District, Alkaleri Local Government Area where bandits killed 20 people in Rimi village.

It was gathered that the invasion was a reprisal attack after the Police and local vigilantes killed 12 bandits in a forest in the district recently.

Mohammed, who spoke at the palace of the District Head, Adamu Duguri, described the killings as unfortunate and expressed worry that banditry in the area was escalating.

He charged the residents to attack and kill any bandit that wants to stop them from living in peace, adding that the villagers should not allow the criminals to subdue them.

Mohammed, therefore, assured that his administration would continue to collaborate with security agencies to protect lives and properties in the state.

He said: ”I know you people to be warriors, including your women. You should not allow bad elements to subdue you; defend your land and liberate yourselves. That is the way it should be.

“We should defend ourselves from any form of banditry and criminal activities. What you did was the right thing.

”From now on, anyone who comes to attack or kill you, defend yourselves. Attack and kill him; they can’t stop us from living in peace.

“All these communities have been existing for over 500 years, we will not allow these Zamfarawa (bandits) to chase us away from our ancestral land.”

In his remark, Duguri told the governor that terrorists had of recently been attacking and killing people in communities in the district.