Bauchi council boss denies influx of Fulani herders from Niger

The chairman, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Babayo Ahmed Gamawa, has put a lie to a report published in a vernacular newspaper last Friday that there was an upsurge of insecurity in northern part of the state and Gamawa in particular.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Gamawa denied the influx of Fulani herdsmen from Niger Republic or any neighbouring countries in his area, declaring that the report is baseless with no any iota of truth whatsoever.

While saying that there was a minor misunderstanding between some farmers and Fulani herders in the area, the council boss asserted that the newspaper report was nothing but cry wolves where there was none.

According to him, the minor misunderstanding had already been tackled by the appropriate agency, adding that his office was awaiting the report of the matter.

“Such a rare but normal misunderstanding between home-based farmers and Fulani cattle rearers should not be misconstrued to be reported in the media to attract state or national discourse, whereas even the Gamawa Local Government Council was not officially aware of the happening,” he said.

He, however, took a swipe at a former chairman of the local government and a one-time legislator in the state for granting the press interview on the misunderstanding between farmers and herders without necessarily informing the local authorities about such happening.

According to him, by such an act, the former chairman might have hidden agenda to satisfy his whims and caprices, declaring that instead of going to press with such an issue, he (former chairman) as a traditional title holder in Gamawa ought to settle it amicably in the interest of peace.

While insisting that Gamawa is relatively peaceful, the chairman informed that only last Thursday while turbaning some new district heads in Azare, the Emir of Katagum, Alhaji Umar Faruk II, advised district heads to emulate Gamawa district and the local government in ensuring security in their domains.

“If His Royal Highness, the Emir of Katagum could ask other local authorities to emulate Gamawa in maintenance of security, who else can claim insecurity in the area?,” he queried.

The council chairman declared that security of lives and properties was his greatest achievement during the past 13 months he had been in the saddle as chairman of Gamawa LGA.