Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has said that security agencies have jointly eliminated 20,000 bandits in their camps in different parts of Bauchi State.

Mohammed disclosed this while briefing the press after a closed door meeting with security agencies and stakeholders on Monday, saying that offensive operations against bandits were carried out.

According to the Governor, soldiers overran bandits camps, and destroyed their logistics in Dajin Madam forest, and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), who listened to the complains of the people of Bauchi and took decisive action that neutralised more than 20,000 bandits hiding in Dajin Madam and Taraba State Forest.

He said war planes were deployed to bomb the bandits and successfully cleared several bandits’ camps, disrupting criminal activities within the forests.

“Several motorcycles used by the criminals were destroyed, limiting their mobility and operational capability, and commended the troops that established firm hold within the forest to consolidate gains and prevent re-infiltration by fleeing bandits.

The Governor said they have opened a “surrender window” to bandits operating within and around the state, and advised them to lay down their arms as part of efforts to consolidate recent security gains.

He disclosed that the operation uncovered large settlements of armed groups, prompting a decisive response by security agencies through coordinated ground and aerial actions backed by intelligence.

“We are calling on those still in hiding to surrender within this period. This is not amnesty, but a chance to return and reintegrate under government supervision,” the governor said.

He said that arrangements are being considered to relocate those who surrender, including their families, while noting that many of the suspects are not originally from Bauchi State.

As part of broader security reforms, governor Bala Mohammed announced stricter surveillance measures, including biometric data collection, intelligence-led monitoring, and verification of activities in markets, motor parks, and public spaces.

He said that the state also plans to strengthen community-based security systems by recruiting and supporting local vigilante groups to complement formal security agencies. The governor said that the new measures are aimed at preventing the creation of ungoverned spaces that could serve as safe havens for criminal elements.

He called on residents to cooperate with security agencies and remain vigilant, assuring that efforts are ongoing to ensure lasting peace and stability.

The Governor said the Government would conduct a biometric profiling exercise of residents in vulnerable communities as part of renewed efforts to strengthen security and prevent the re-emergence of criminal hideouts across the state.

He explained that the exercise will be carried out in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and other relevant federal agencies to ensure proper documentation and monitoring of population movements in high-risk areas.

According to him, the initiative is aimed at eliminating ungoverned spaces that have been exploited by criminal elements to establish camps and launch attacks on surrounding communities.

He commended the efforts of security agencies, including the Nigerian Armed Forces and intelligence units, noting that sustained operations have significantly disrupted the logistics and mobility of criminal groups.

Speaking on the development, the governor said: “We are taking these measures to ensure that no space is left ungoverned or unmonitored, so that criminal elements cannot regroup or threaten our communities again.”

He also reiterated his appeal to fleeing bandits to surrender during what he described as a temporary window for peace, stressing that it is not an amnesty but an opportunity to abandon violence and reintegrate peacefully.

Governor Mohammed further assured that the state government is intensifying collaboration with traditional institutions, security agencies, and federal authorities to sustain ongoing operations and guarantee lasting peace and stability across Bauchi State. (Guardian)

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