President Bola Tinubu on Friday received a detailed security briefing from Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, during a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa.
The meeting, held on Feb. 27, 2026, focused on the escalating banditry and insecurity in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where recent attacks have displaced communities, claimed lives and heightened calls for urgent federal intervention.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, Mohammed said he updated the President on the resurgence of attacks in communities such as Gwana, Kafin Duguri, Mansur, Yalau, Futuk and Digare.
He disclosed that more than 10,000 well-armed bandits had reportedly invaded and occupied ungoverned forest areas in the state, launching sporadic assaults on communities, recruiting locals and former illegal miners, and forcing residents to flee to neighbouring states, including Gombe State.
The governor cited a Feb. 22 attack on a Joint Task Force base in Gwana, which resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and a vigilante member. He added that several community members were abducted during the incident, while security operatives neutralised a number of the attackers in subsequent operations.
Mohammed said he had visited the affected communities on multiple occasions to assess the situation firsthand, commending local vigilantes and residents for their resilience and resistance against the attackers.
He, however, stressed the need for strengthened federal support through enhanced military and police operations, provision of additional equipment and clear directives to security chiefs to intensify efforts in the troubled areas.
According to him, President Tinubu responded positively to the briefing and assured the state government of the Federal Government’s backing to complement ongoing efforts to restore peace and prevent further attacks.
“The President has given assurances that necessary directives have been issued to security agencies to reinforce operations in the affected zones,” the governor said.
Addressing speculation linking his visit to recent political developments, particularly defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) by some governors, Mohammed clarified that the meeting was strictly security-focused.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP, noting that while political leaders are free to choose their affiliations, his visit to the Presidential Villa was motivated solely by the urgent need to address insecurity in parts of Bauchi State.
The development comes amid renewed concerns over banditry and armed attacks across parts of the North-East and North-West regions, with stakeholders calling for coordinated federal and state responses to curb the menace.
