By MUHYIDEEN JIMOH

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on Friday sought the intervention of President Bola Tinubu over rising insecurity in parts of the state.

Mohammed made the call while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the visit was prompted by escalating banditry in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

According to him, bandits have taken advantage of ungoverned forest spaces around the Daji Dam axis to launch attacks on communities.

The governor said the situation had triggered sporadic clashes between bandits and security agencies in the area.

He warned that the development could degenerate into a humanitarian crisis if urgent action was not taken.

Mohammed said many residents had begun fleeing their homes to neighbouring states and local government areas due to fear of attacks.

He said he recently visited the affected communities alongside security chiefs to assess the situation.

The governor said he subsequently briefed the President and requested special presidential intervention.

According to him, Tinubu responded positively and directed security agencies to intensify operations.

“He has already given directives and they are doing a lot of activities in Kwara and Niger where there are similar ungoverned spaces and banditry,” Mohammed said.

He said governors of Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau and Gombe were also considering a joint security summit to address threats in forest areas bordering their states.

The governor stressed that Bauchi had enjoyed relative peace for about a decade and should not be allowed to relapse into insecurity.

He noted that growing investment interest in the state, including oil, gas and mining prospects, could be threatened by insecurity.

Mohammed reiterated his support for the establishment of state police as a strategy to strengthen security architecture.

According to him, state policing will enable governors to respond more effectively to security challenges within their jurisdictions.

On politics, the governor dismissed speculations that his visit to the Presidential Villa was linked to a possible defection.

“I am a PDP man. I came here for governance and partnership, not for defection,” he said.

Mohammed said the Peoples Democratic Party remained a strong national platform despite internal challenges.

He added that electoral victories were determined at the grassroots and not merely at the national level. (NAN)