Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has clarified that the five police officers killed in Darazo Local Government Area were not victims of a bandit attack, contrary to earlier reports by the state police command.

The Bauchi State Police Command had on Sunday announced the death of five personnel in what it described as an ambush by bandits (suspected gunmen) in Sabon Sara village, Darazo LGA.

The command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Wakil, said the officers were attacked while responding to distress calls from the community.

However, speaking during the opening of the State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, Mohammed dismissed the claim, insisting that the incident was rooted in community-related issues, not banditry.

“We had an incident in Darazo reported as banditry. But I want to tell you that it is not banditry; it is a community issue. We are on the ground, we know it, and we will handle it very well,” he said.

The governor added that while security agencies had advised the state government to close schools over the possibility of student abductions, the Darazo incident should not be misconstrued as part of the wider insecurity linked to bandits.

“Because of security reasons, I will not divulge all the information. But our investors should be assured that what happened in Darazo is not banditry.

“Yes, we closed our schools because security agencies told us there was a likelihood of abduction of students, as has happened in other states,” he said.

Mohammed explained that the closure was a proactive step to ensure the safety of students, noting that although he is the chief security officer of the state, security agencies often have deeper intelligence.

“It’s not to create fear but to be safe and secure. It’s better than going with ego. We will make sure we do as much as we can to secure vulnerable and hard-to-reach schools, including fencing them before the end of the year.

“All our schools must be fenced, with lighting and other safety measures,” he added.

The governor also said the ongoing recruitment of vigilantes would run concurrently with the implementation of the Safe School Programme as outlined by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“At least, we will do our own part and leave the rest to our Creator, Allah (SWA),” he said. (The PUNCH)