Gov. Bala Mohammed Laments Spate Of Criminality In Toro Local Government Area Of Bauchi State.
....Calls For Monitoring Of Persons Venturing Into Forests.
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has lamented the spate of criminality in the Toro Local Government Area of the state, describing it as an incubation centre for criminals.
He made the lamentation on Saturday during the commencement of the distribution of empowerment materials to selected beneficiaries in the local government area under the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme.
The governor, who said the local government area was the most disturbed by insecurity, because of its geographical location, gave an assurance that his administration was doing everything within its powers and resources to tackle the menace, which he noted was almost “defying solutions.”
He apologised that Toro, despite being one of the largest local government areas in the country, had not benefitted much from his administration in terms of dividends of democracy.
Mohammed stated, “For the 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. As a leader, I always criticise myself to know what I have done to the local governments on the basis of equity and justice, what have I done on the basis of the state character, what have I done to the population on the basis of equity.
“While I was doing that with the Chairman of my party and my deputy, I came to the realization that we have done little for the Toro Local Government; very little compared to the population and to the need of the local government. The local government is one of the largest in the country; it is enough to be a state.
“Yes, we have so much in the areas of health and education; we have done so much in terms of empowerment and making sure there is equal representation in our government and we have done so much, by the grace of God, to get the traditional rulers you need not by imposition.
“Yes, we have paid attention to the issue of security, because security in Bauchi is key, and Toro Local Government Area is the place that is most disturbed by insecurity, just because of its geographical location and not because Toro people are criminals or are harbouring criminals, but because of the movement of criminals from the North-West from the North-Central and even within the North-East. So, it is an incubation centre; people moving into Toro, going to Tafawa Balewa, going to Dass and going to Alkaleri, that is the movement.”
The governor added, “I am still calling on the people to know that security is a communal issue. We have a joint task force that is always paying attention in Toro, but I am disturbed by the spate of abductions and by the spate of insecurity; it is the only local government that is almost defying solutions, but we are going to do more and we are doing more.
“Of course, we have people coming to settle in the Lame Forest; I am calling on the local council and the traditional rulers to open their eyes; they should shine their eyes; we are not unwelcoming of strangers, but we don’t welcome criminals to our state.
“We don’t have to be selling the forests. The Lame Forest is one of the largest in Nigeria, but it is almost destroyed; but certainly as a government, we are taking very stern measures to make sure that this thing does not continue.”
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