PAUL OMOKUVIE, Bauchi
No fewer than 500 thugs who were members of the notorious ‘Sara Suka’ have surrendered their weapons to the police in Bauchi State.
The ex-thugs, mostly youths, were received by Governor Bala Mohammed and the Commissioner of Police, Habu Sani, at the command’s headquarters.
Sani said the police under his watch were able to drastically reduce the rising spate of Sara Suka, armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes through a synergy with other security agencies and volunteer groups in the state.
Some of the thugs told newsmen that lack of education and unemployment drove them into banditry.
Saying that they had seen reasons to embrace peace, they pleaded with the state government to talk to the police to release their colleagues who were in their custody for years.
They also called on the government to create job opportunities and empowerment programmes as they vowed not to engage in hooliganism again.
The Chairman, Bauchi State Youths for Peace and Unity, Mr. Rabiu Shamba, said he was able to mobilised them from the grassroots and convince them to surrender to government for tranquillity and good of the society.
The governor in his reaction, commended their willingness to surrender their arms.
Mohammed promised to prioritise youth empowerment to cater for their future.
The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Abubakar Kari, assured them of government’s readiness to take youths of the state out of extreme poverty.