From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said his administration will establish a vigilante group to tackle bandits who have been kidnapping and killing the residents.
Mohammed said that his administration was investigating reports that some members of the security and traditional institutions were collaborating with the bandits to carry out kidnappings for ransom.
He disclosed this on Saturday at Mansur, when he paid sympathy visits to communities in Gwana district in Alkaleri Local Government Area which have been under attacks of bandits who kidnapped and killed residents.
The governor, who was in company with the state commissioner of police, other security chiefs and government functionaries, also visited Garin Sambo where bandits killed one and injured three persons in a failed kidnapped attempt.
He decried the bloodletting by the bandits and insurgents, assuring that the proposed vigilante would work closely with security agencies to neutralise them and fish out their collaborators within.
He promised that his administration would deal decisively with any member of the public collaborating with the bandits no matter how highly placed.
“Very soon we are going to commence this process and we are going to do it and nobody will come and do it for us,” he said.
He said his administration was investigating reports that some members of the traditional institutions were informants of the bandits.