By Rauf Oyewole
The Concerned Bauchi Citizens, a pressure group, has exonerated Governor Bala Mohammed regarding recent terrorism financing allegations involving a state commissioner currently facing trial.
Describing the development as politically motivated, the group warned that the allegations are a calculated attempt to intimidate opposition figures.
Addressing journalists on Monday, the group’s Coordinator, Comrade Adamu Dauda Yashi, condemned what he termed the sustained harassment and blackmail of the governor, his family, and state officials.
Yashi affirmed the group’s unequivocal support for Governor Mohammed and the people of Bauchi State, emphasizing that opposition politics must not be a pretext for weaponizing national institutions against democratically elected leaders.
He expressed concern over the actions, particularly given the immunity clause for sitting governors in the 1999 Constitution.
He warned that democracy can only thrive when tolerance, fairness, and respect for the rule of law are strictly upheld.
The group also highlighted the relative peace enjoyed in the state under Governor Mohammed’s leadership.
Yashi noted that Bauchi remains one of the safest states in Nigeria, recording significantly fewer incidents of terrorism and insecurity compared to other regions.
“This reality raises serious questions as to why some elements are determined to portray Bauchi as insecure and to blackmail its governor, despite the prevailing peace in the state,” Yashi said, warning that such narratives threaten public confidence and stability.
Alleging selective justice, the group pointed out that certain individuals within the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council have faced public accusations regarding insecurity and terror financing without visible punitive action.
The group urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to uphold democratic values and ensure fairness for all political actors, recalling that the President himself governed Lagos State as an opposition leader without facing such intimidation.
They further appealed to the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, to intervene, stressing that peace in Bauchi State is critical to the stability of the North East and the nation at large.