By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has declared that as a federalist and in spite of being a leading voice in the opposition in the country, he will never undermine the Federal Government, in terms of providing security to residents of the State.
The Governor made the declaration on Monday while chairing an expanded Security meeting held at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office.
According to him, “We are federalists. We believe in the authority of the Federal Government, irrespective of our position as opposition. We cannot work without authority, and you should recognize that it is the symbol of that authority.”
Addressing heads of security agencies operating in the State, Bala Mohammed stressed that, “Without you, there is no governance. So you must be able to ask yourself, whatever you do, you must aasist our traditional leaders, you must coordinate with them, especially through our commanders in the various divisions.”
A cross section of security Chiefs at the meeting 
The Governor added that, “All the security agencies, we are very grateful for what you have been doing all these while. You have been hearing some rumors here and there about maybe some of us, but that is the issue of politics.”
He added that, “And I want you to really refocus and work as seriously to ensure that you have zero tolerance on all this criminality. As for us, we are ready to give you the latest that we can provide that will be provided to ensure that you work.”
He added that, “They are creation and deliverers. You can see their preponderance is around where they are. Our local authorities will have the provision of the local government who will not condone these misdemeanors within our local government.”
“Certainly, they are causing a lot of problems. We thank you for coming. May Allah continue to guide us to navigate all these problems and challenges that are attendant with poverty, lack of good governance, and so on and so forth. Thank you very much for coming to this meeting with us,” he added.
Speaking further, he stated that,”I welcome you all members to this expanded security council meeting today. With the royal highnesses in their numbers since their creation. Your presence here today is a demonstration of responsibility, the collective shared commitment, peace, unity, and stability of Bauchi state.”
According to him,”And I’ve also shown responsibility and responsiveness. I thank you for responding promptly to give you that goodwill on willingness and the demands raised by the coordinations and collective responsibility.”
The Governor stressed that, “We are meeting at a time that Nigeria faces complex and formidable security challenges, such as banditry, kidnapping, criminal tensions and border criminal movements, misinformation and other opportunistic crimes.”
The Governor stressed that, “These challenges are no longer isolated. They are mobile, adaptive and interconnected, as well as unique coordination and global spaces, and local grievances and skirmishes. No state is immune, and no single institution can address these threats alone.”
He however stated that,”Bauchi State has, by the grace of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, being safe and peaceful, it has been a collective effort to make it relatively stable compared to many parts of the country. We all give to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, to our security agencies, our royal highnesses and our traditional rulers, all leaders across the ladder, religious leaders, local government authorities, and our deliberate governance structure, which emphasize on stakeholders.”
“However, relative peace is not permanent peace, as geography, borders, forests, mobility corridors, markets, and bodies and rivers and the global population require constant vigilance. We have become a very troubled, selfless case for criminality because of our geography and our position,”he added.
Bala Mohammed added that, “Threats today often begin as small signals, rumors, unusual movements, land disputes and minor criminality before escalating into a typical norm.”
The Governor explained that, “This meeting is therefore preventive, not reactive. We are grateful to Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala for making us to have the reform on our traditional institutions. Today we have all this area of first and second class Emirates in Bauchi the State.”
“I wish to speak directly and effectively to our traditional rulers, both our long-established emirates and the new appointed ones. We have put our nonceremonial ornaments. They are institutions of trust, moral authority, and grassroots governance,” he added.
The Governor also stated that, “With organization and the organization of emirates and district leadership structures, we are undertaking to bring governance closer to the people, strengthen inclusion, and deepen peace with council responsibilities and with legitimate accountability.”
According to him,”We have made sure we give you all the best needs of work, our residences, and remuneration as well as allowances that is provided by law since the creation of Nigeria under the Northern Nigerian law.”
He also stressed, “Therefore, all necessary tools for governance have been provided to you as our fathers and custodians of our tradition and our heritage. The traditional rulers are therefore expected to play the final role for our people, including early morning and intelligent gathering within their domains.”
“Community cooperation and engagement, especially in planning, family and community justice. Moral leadership, disqualifying criminality, violence and lawlessness. Community mobilization against crime, extremism and social decay. And lastly, structured information flow with district heads, local governments, authorities, security agencies, up to the government house,” he added.
Bala Mohammed further stressed that,”Traditional institutions are not parallel governments, but they are critical partners in governance. We are not inheriting, and it is our heritage, we have to move very forward, what our forefathers have established, even the colonial masters adopted, because it is good and it is working, it was working and it is still working.”
“Let me reiterate on issues that must not be tolerated. That is, sale or allocation of land without due process, government approval or legal documentation. Harbouring children or protecting suspected criminals with a known belief or by negligence, interference with local security operations and deliberate use of traditional authority to legitimize illegality,” he outlined.
He however warned that,”Silence in the face of crime is complicity. Authority without accountability is abuse. Information gathering and reporting framework must be key. Every Emirate and District is expected to exhibit a simple but reliable system for receiving information from village heads, ward heads and community leaders.”
He also stated that,”Personnel increase of intelligence on homes, promptly reporting to security, relevant information to local government authorities, Divisional Police Officers and other security formations. Relevant information is effective. The issues must be mediation focused, given the time we are in.”
According to him,”Based on the time of the year, national government and local dynamics, this mediation focused on seasonal movement of people, livestock and goods, forest and border surveillance, Farmer-Herder relations and land pressure, urban crime trends and youth vulnerability, misinformation and incitement, especially via social media, political temperature and early warning ahead of future political activities, protection of markets, places of worship, schools and transport corridors, as well as religious tolerance and respect of our diversity.”
The Governor stated that, the appointment of new Emirs and District leaders has gathered significant goodwill, legitimacy and hope across the communities.
According to him,”That goodwill has been protected, not squandered. History will not judge us if it will judge impact, restraint and courage. This is a moment to demonstrate by traditional authority the immense force for unity and responsible leadership.”
Bala Mohammed added that,”Bauchi State is at the top of place where one can show to the world that the traditional rulers are working and they can work here effective in line with what is provided in the constitution because of their community and inherent responsibility of governance that have been inherited over the years.”
He stressed that,”Security is a shared duty of governance between the security agencies, traditional institutions, and citizens alike. Let us speak frankly, listen carefully, and leave this meeting with clear goals, shared understanding, and a new commitment to make our inherited peace in Bauchi state, something that will last the test of time. Let bauchi state not to go to crises. We must prevent them. I thank you most sincerely for coming.”
A cross section of traditional rulers at the meeting 
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