The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed has instructed security agencies to deal decisively with anyone caught in the act of illegal mining warning that it was fuelling instability across the state.
Governor Mohammed made the appeal when he received the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Maxwell Dangana, on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Channels TV reports.
The governor said the activities of illegal miners were on the increase and said that more intelligence collection and collaboration among surrounding states was needed to check the situation.
Sharpen your wits. spare nobody. “If my son is involved in illegal mining deal with him decisively,” the governor said.
Governor Mohammed said the state is grappling with the problem of some powerful individuals and stakeholders who are allegedly participating in illegal mining because of its large financial gains. He assured the GOC of the sustained support of the Bauchi State Government to the military in its attempt to improve security.
“We are going to buy cars soon. The Federal Government has granted all the state governors three billion naira and we are going to use it well for security. “We’re not going to use it for anything else,” he added.
Major General Maxwell Dangana while fielding questions from newsmen during the visit said he was on a tour of formations and units under his command to assess the security situation and review existing operational strategies.
He urged the governor to continue to support the military to surmount operational obstacles especially in sections of Alkaleri Local Government Area.
He said bad road infrastructure was a big concern, hampering the deployment of soldiers and emergency response times.
Governor Mohammed in his reaction said that the road leading to Mansur, one of the troublesome villages in the state has been allocated for construction.
He equally called on the Nigerian Army to establish more formations in other important areas in communities around Azare and Tafawa Balewa to further bolster security across Bauchi State.
About the Author
