Hoodlums vandalise former Bauchi Deputy Gov’s house, Govt lodge, burn council secretariat

…Gov imposes 24hr curfew in Katagum

Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi

Hoodlums in Azare, Katagum local government area of Bauchi State, the second largest town in the state have vandalised the government lodge, country home of the immediate past deputy governor, Senator Baba Tela’s and burnt the Local Government Secretariat.

According to the residents of the area who spoke with our Correspondent, the hoodlums vandalised the politician’s home during the ongoing nationwide protests against ‘bad governance,’ The thugs reportedly torched the Secretariat on Monday.

“The protesters went to the Secretariat, Baba Tela’s House and Government Lodge. They destroyed some valuable items and carted away some things.

“There has been tension in some parts of Azare because the security personnel are really everywhere,” the resident said.

Meanwhile, the State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew in the local government “due to the deteriorating security situation in Azare and its environments,” a statement by the Media Adviser to Governor, Mukhtar Gidado noted.

He said that the incident leading to “destruction of public property, stealing, victimisation etc, His Excellency, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON the Executive Governor of Bauchi State has approved the imposition, with immediate effective, of a 24-hour curfew in Katagum Local Government Area, in order to contain the situation.”

He said that the Governor directed all security agencies to wade into the matter and ensure that the hoodlums are fished out and brought to book. He further called on law-abiding citizens to cooperate with security agencies at this trying moment.