Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has commended President Bola Tinubu, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and security agencies over what he described as a major offensive against bandits and terrorists in Alkaleri Local Government Area, which he said has resulted in the killing of thousands of insurgents within two weeks.
The governor said security forces recorded significant success in recent operations in the area, which had previously been affected by sustained terrorist activity.
He also claimed that settlements harbouring between 10,000 and 20,000 bandits were “decimated and disrupted” during the offensive.
Governor Mohammed made the remarks on Monday during a press briefing in Bauchi after an emergency security meeting at the Government House.
The meeting had in attendance heads of security agencies in the state, traditional rulers from Alkaleri, local government chairmen from Bauchi, Alkaleri, Kirfi and Tafawa Balewa, as well as senior government officials.
He said the situation, initially underestimated, had now been brought under control through what he described as “professional deployment” of security operatives across multiple agencies.
According to him, the operation led to the destruction of thousands of motorcycles used by the bandits, as well as the disruption of their supply chains, including food, fuel, and movement corridors.
“We’re happy to address this press conference to express our deepest gratitude to Allah and to His Excellency, Mr. President, Commander-In-Chief, Bola Tinubu, the office of the National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs… for the very monumental security situation that we were able to achieve in Bauchi after the intervention of Mr. President,” the governor said.
He added that coordinated intelligence-driven operations, including aerial surveillance and ground offensives, were responsible for the breakthrough.
“We are happy to say that the situation has been brought to a normalcy whereby the activities of very articulate professional deployment of security persons across the services brought some normalcy to the area,” he said.
Governor Mohammed further stated that the intelligence gathered showed that the scale of bandit settlements was larger than previously estimated, noting that security forces had to dismantle multiple camps spread across forested areas in Bauchi and neighbouring states.
He said: “Thousands of bandits and terrorists have been neutralised, hundreds and thousands of motorcycles have been destroyed, multiple camps and settlements were bombarded and dismantled.”
He praised the professionalism of the security agencies, including the Nigerian Armed Forces, intelligence operatives, and local vigilante groups, adding that operations would continue through sustained aerial monitoring and targeted strikes to prevent regrouping.
The governor also announced new security measures, including biometric profiling of residents in affected communities.
He said data collection would involve collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and other federal agencies.
According to him, new settlers in the area will be required to provide guarantors, undergo screening, and complete documentation processes, while strict monitoring will be introduced in motor parks, cattle markets, filling stations, and other key locations.
“We must profile our population and communities… so that we don’t provide open space that is not monitored or evaluated,” he said.
He warned that anyone found supporting bandits or providing them with logistics or intelligence would face strict consequences.
Governor Mohammed also said the government would open a window for surrender, allowing repentant bandits to lay down their arms in exchange for relocation and reintegration with their families.
He clarified that the measure was not an amnesty but a controlled process aimed at stabilising the region.
“We have come to a level where we must show responsibility and respite, It is not an amnesty but a window where we have looked into the situation,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that internally displaced persons currently taking refuge in parts of Gombe State would be returned to their communities within days, adding that the situation had improved significantly.
“All those who have run away… within the next two to three days, they will be relocated and resettled,” he said, while cautioning that sustained vigilance was still required.
He stressed that traditional institutions, local governments, and security agencies would continue working together to ensure lasting peace in the affected areas.
