Bauchi civil unrest: Gov Mohammed preaches peace, tolerance

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, on Sunday visited Yelwa area of Bauchi metropolis where two rival groups clashed on Friday evening, leading to the death of three persons, with five houses, three vehicles and a number of motorcycles burnt and urged the people to embrace peace at all times as well as tolerate one another.

Speaking at Lukshi where the crisis started, Governor Mohammed regretted the unfortunate incident and said that his administration would establish a police outpost in the areas to further provide security to the people.

He assured that the state government would take full inventory of all the losses recorded during the unfortunate clash in order to provide palliative measures to the affected people, adding that security agents would soon arrest those responsible for the clash.

Governor Mohammed enjoined people in the affected areas to live in peace and equally be their brothers’ keepers, irrespective of any differences.

The governor admonished parents and guardians to ensure proper upbringing of their children and wards.

“We must learn to live together as one, irrespective of any differences, for peace to reign supreme and to enable the government continue with the good work it is doing,” the governor said.

Mohammed said the 24-hour curfew imposed on the area would be in place for a few days until normalcy returns to the area, saying that it was not meant to subject people to suffering.

According to the governor, “we did not do it (curfew) to make you suffer; it is for our collective good. We will closely monitor the situation and review it appropriately.”

Earlier, the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda, informed the governor that the civil unrest occurred as a result of rivalry between warring youths because of a lady.

He added that two lives were lost, while several houses were burnt with properties worth millions of Naira destroyed.

CP Sanda advised that people should avoid taking the laws into their hands, warning that the law would take its full course on anyone found wanting in the cause of the clash.