More residents of Gwana District in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State are abandoning their homes as renewed bandit attacks continue to drive families from their communities.
While scores had earlier fled in the wake of deadly raids, additional residents have now joined the exodus, seeking safety in Kashere, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The displaced persons, currently sheltered in a government educational facility serving as an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, escaped from the Mansur, Yalau, Futuk, Duguri and Gwana communities after attacks that reportedly claimed several lives.
Many fled with only the belongings they could hastily gather, trekking to safety alongside their children and elderly relatives after their villages were overrun.
Governor Bala Mohammed on Thursday visited the camp to assess the situation and sympathise with the displaced residents.
Addressing them, he described the crisis as “very bad, pathetic and very unfortunate.”
He raised the alarm that the affected communities had been overwhelmed by what he estimated to be about 10,000 well-armed bandits.
“Our people have been pushed out by about 10,000 well-armed bandits,” the governor said, appealing to the Federal Government for urgent intervention.
Mohammed alleged that the attackers were recruiting locals and outsiders, including former illegal miners, and exploiting what he termed an “ungoverned space” around Dajin Madam Forest.
According to him, some bandits fleeing military operations in the North-West had regrouped in the area.
He noted that police drones had helped repel some of the assaults but stressed that stronger and more coordinated security efforts were urgently required.
The governor disclosed plans to meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to seek additional military support, improved weapons deployment and proper training for vigilantes and forest guards.
As part of immediate measures, Mohammed announced plans to recruit 2,000 youths into vigilante groups to be trained as forest guards.
He also revealed plans for a joint security summit involving the governors of Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Benue states to coordinate efforts to flush out bandits from the region.
He commended Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, and the Kashere community for accommodating the displaced persons, apologising for the disruption to academic activities at the primary school being used as shelter.
Earlier, the State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, said additional security personnel had been deployed to restore order in the troubled communities.
“I want to assure the people that we are committed to the immediate restoration of peace and security in that environment. All strategies and arrangements have been put in place to ensure that peace and security return immediately to that axis,” he said, vowing that no part of Bauchi State would be allowed to remain an ungoverned space.
Residents of Gwana District had earlier fled en masse following a deadly attack on February 22, 2026, which reportedly claimed the lives of two soldiers, a vigilante operative and another resident.
The attack, which occurred last weekend in Gwana District, targeted the Garin Kafi, Rimi and Gobir communities, as well as a Joint Task Force base.
