ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
In a bid to assist security agencies in tackling kidnapping, banditry and other crimes, the Bauchi State Government said it has registered and engaged 10,000 hunters across the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Security, Alhaji Umaru Alkaleri, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists in the state on Sunday, said that the move was also to provide jobs to reduce the high unemployed rate especially among the youths.
He said the government has been supporting them to carry out their assigned responsibilities effectively.
Alkaleri, who is also the Bauchi State Chairman of the Hunters’ Association, said that the hunters were registered across 20 Local Government Areas of the State and they assist in routine patrol and dislodging of suspected bandits’ camps in the bush with the support of security agencies.”
He said that his members have been operating 24/7 by patrolling the nooks and crannies of the state in order to make citizens live without any fear of attacks, intimidation or harassment by criminal elements.
He said: “Recently, we arrested 29 suspected kidnappers, bandits and armed robbers in the state. We also destroyed kidnappers’ camp between Dass and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of Bauchi state.”
He said the Association’s State office located at Inkil has about 200 operatives alone who are on 24/7 shifts waiting for possible distress calls from any area of Bauchi metropolis for prompt response and “we have hunters operating jointly with security in all the 20 local Government Areas of the state.”
The security aide expressed deep concern over some prosecutors and lawyers who, he alleged, connive to change initial statements made after suspects are arrested with a view to facilitating easy bail grants or even set the accused free.
He expressed gratitude to Governor Bala Mohammed for distributing patrol vehicles to hunters and security agencies which, he noting, is easing their activities.