Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, on Thursday charged residents of the state to “take up arms and defend” themselves against bandits.
“You are known to be warriors. You should not allow bad elements to subdue you; defend your land and liberate yourselves,” Mohammed said during his condolence visit to Duguri, Alkaleri Local Government Area where bandits killed 20 people in Rimi Village recently.
Many of the residents were said to have been wounded by the bandits in what appeared to be a reprisal.
The attack come after the Police, in collaboration with vigilance group members, killed 12 suspected bandits in a forest in the district.
Describing the killings as unfortunate, the governor said it was worrisome that banditry in the area was getting out of hand.
Sounding very angry, Mohammed said: ”I know you people to be warriors, including your women. That is the way it should be.
“We should defend ourselves from any form of banditry and criminal activities. What you did was the right thing.
”From now on, anyone who comes to attack or kill you, defend yourselves. Attack and kill him; they can’t stop us from living in peace.
“All these communities have been existing for over 500 years, we will not allow these Zamfarawa (bandits) to chase us away from our ancestral land.”
Mohammed, who spoke at the palace of the District Head, Adamu Duguri, assured that his administration would continue to collaborate with security agencies to protect lives and properties in the state.
Duguri had told the governor that terrorists had of recent been attacking and killing people in communities in the district.
