Following the violence that erupted in Gombe during the #endbadgovernance protest, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has convened an expanded security meeting on Monday to review and coordinate strategies to maintain stability in the state.
According to a statement signed by the Director General, press affairs, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the meeting had in attendance heads of security agencies, relevant Commissioners, local government chairmen and traditional rulers.
The meeting reviewed the security situation in the aftermath of the protest and suggested measures to deter future occurrences to guarantee safety of residents across Gombe state.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, said:
“The government recognizes that the protest was primarily driven by the current economic hardship. We are deeply concerned about the welfare of our citizens and are committed to addressing these issues promptly. We acknowledge that security is everybody’s business and therefore, urge members of the public to remain supportive of the government and the security agencies in ensuring security of lives and property.”
“As part of renewed efforts to address the hardships, the government plans to roll out another round of food palliatives to support vulnerable households across the state. This initiative, the 19th in the series, aims to provide immediate relief and ensure that no resident goes hungry during these trying times”
Also speaking with regards to the public concerns about the activities of the scrap materials merchants, popularly known as Bola- Jari, the SSG revealed that Governor Yahaya has directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Zubair Muhammad Umar, to work out operational modalities to regulate their activities in the state.
According to him, the council lauded the security agencies for their prompt intervention in tackling the situation and preventing escalation as well as the Governor for showing exemplary leadership during and in the aftermath of the protests.
On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman, who spoke on behalf of the security agencies, reiterated the commitment of the security agencies to maintaining law and order, assuring residents of their safety while urging the public to remain calm and peaceful.
He emphasized that security forces are on high alert to prevent any further breach of law and order.
He added that the security agencies have made several arrests in connection with the looting of properties during the violent protests, disclosing that several valuable items have been recovered.
He called on those who lost their property to report to the police headquarters to verify if their items are among those recovered for immediate handover.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property. We urge all residents to cooperate with the authorities and refrain from any actions that could lead to violence or disruption. We cannot allow any actions that are capable of jeopardizing our peace. We are not against any protest as far as it follows the rules”, the CP said.
