Renewed bandit attacks force fresh exodus in Bauchi communities
Residents Flee Gwana District Amid Renewed Bandit Attacks
More residents of Gwana District in the Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State are abandoning their homes as renewed attacks by armed bandits force families to flee their communities. The recent surge in violence has prompted additional families to seek refuge in Kashere, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The displaced individuals are currently housed in a government educational facility that has been repurposed as an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. They evacuated from the Mansur, Yalau, Futuk, Duguri, and Gwana communities following raids that reportedly resulted in multiple fatalities. Many fled with only the belongings they could gather, bringing their children and elderly relatives along as they sought safety.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed visited the IDP camp on Thursday to assess the situation and express his sympathies to those affected. He described the crisis as “very bad, pathetic and very unfortunate.”
Governor Mohammed raised concerns that the affected communities are being overwhelmed by an estimated 10,000 well-armed bandits. He has called for urgent intervention from the Federal Government, asserting that the attackers are recruiting both locals and outsiders, including former illegal miners, and are taking advantage of “ungoverned space” in the Dajin Madam Forest area.
According to the governor, some of the bandits fleeing military operations in the northwestern part of the country have regrouped in this region. While he noted that police drones had been somewhat effective in repelling attacks, he emphasized the need for stronger and more coordinated security measures.
Mohammed plans to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss the need for additional military support, enhanced weaponry, and improved training for vigilantes and forest guards. As part of immediate efforts, the governor announced plans to recruit 2,000 youths into vigilante groups for training as forest guards.
He also disclosed intentions to host a joint security summit with the governors of Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Benue states to coordinate efforts in eradicating bandits from the region. The governor commended Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and the Kashere community for their hospitality toward the displaced persons, acknowledging the disruption to academic activities at the primary school now serving as temporary shelter.
Earlier, State Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu reported that additional security personnel had been deployed in a bid to restore order in the affected communities. “We are committed to the immediate restoration of peace and security in that environment,” he asserted, promising that no part of Bauchi State would remain an ungoverned space.
Concerns about security in Gwana District are not new; residents previously fled en masse following a deadly attack on February 22, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of two soldiers, a vigilante operative, and one civilian. The latest incident occurred over the weekend, targeting the Garin Kafi, Rimi, and Gobir communities, as well as a Joint Task Force base.
