Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has faulted reports suggesting that the killing of five police officers in Darazo Local Government Area was the result of a bandit attack, insisting instead that the tragic incident stemmed from a local communal dispute.
Governor Mohammed made the clarification on Wednesday while addressing members of the State Executive Council.
His remarks directly contradicted an earlier account issued by the Bauchi State Police Command, which had attributed the officers’ deaths to an ambush by suspected armed herders.
Speaking at the meeting, the governor said the situation had been mischaracterised in public reports.
“We had an incident in Darazo, but it was not banditry as reported,” he said. “It is a community issue, and we are addressing it in collaboration with the police and the DSS.”
He declined to give detailed information, citing security sensitivity, but stressed that the state government was working closely with security operatives to prevent escalation.
Earlier in the week, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Ahmed Wakil, had confirmed that officers on routine patrol were ambushed in Papa Ward, Darazo.
According to Wakil, the personnel came under heavy fire during an exchange with armed herders, resulting in the deaths of five officers.
The governor’s comments presented a different narrative, shifting the incident away from organised criminal activity to internal communal tensions.
Governor Mohammed also addressed concerns over the temporary shutdown of schools across the state.
He explained that the decision was made following intelligence warnings about the possibility of student abductions, a pattern seen in several northern states in recent years.
“Yes, we closed our schools because security agencies advised us to do so.
“Even as the chief security officer, I rely on their intelligence. They warned of potential abductions, so we acted to protect our children,” he said.
He dismissed claims that the school closures were linked to the deaths of the police officers, describing the move as purely precautionary.
The governor announced new measures aimed at improving school security, including fencing vulnerable institutions and deploying trained vigilante groups as part of efforts to fully implement the Safe School Initiative.
He also expressed solidarity with states that have recently suffered school abductions, noting that the growing threats to students remain a national concern requiring coordinated action.
Despite the governor’s clarification, the police command’s earlier statement remains unchanged.
Wakil had disclosed that the officers killed had “paid the supreme price” during a gun battle with their attackers, underscoring the hazardous conditions under which police personnel operate.
As investigations continue, the state government and security agencies are expected to release further details aimed at reconciling the conflicting accounts and restoring public confidence.
