#EndBadGovernance: Bauchi gov backs peaceful protests, admits Nigerians are hungry

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, acknowledged a disconnect between the people and the government, recognizing the excruciating hunger and displeasure of Nigerians against bad governance.

The Governor, while noting that it is not the time for buck-passing, said that the failure of the federal government is the failure of subnationals and the local governments.

Mohammed, who addressed the press on Monday night at the end of an emergency security stakeholders meeting held at Government House, said that President Bola Tinubu should have sought the input of governors before his address to the nation, describing governors as the closer leaders to the angry youths.

He said: “He (President) should have listened to the governors who are his first line of charge, first line of commanders at subnational levels so that we can give him what is going on because we also listen to our local government chairmen, Police, brigade commanders, and all of them.

“But they went and spoke in a manner that did not show empathy or sympathy to the youths. We are with the youths in Bauchi State but at the same time we are not with them in terms of causing mayhem, violence, and destruction of lives and property,” Mohammed said.

“We have discussed the issue of protest against bad governance, anger, and hunger and, of course, its negative impacts on Bauchi and our cities and towns. We have also been briefed by the security agencies of the situation, which is now under control, and, of course, the mayhem that has been caused in Azare.

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“Of course, the running battle that the security agencies have been having with some youths and miscreants who have hijacked the natural democratic process of expressing discontent against the government by the organised youths. We have looked at the situation and applied a double-edged sword. We have heeded the pleas and challenges of the youths, and we have taken it as a wake-up call at all levels of leadership,” he said.

He pledged that his government would not play politics with the protest, saying that it is not about political parties, the federal government, subnationals, or local authorities but about governance at all levels.

Mohammed said that the government has seen the manifestation of the anger, where Almajiri, Islamiya schools, government offices, and others were vandalised.

Hoodlums had yesterday looted the country home of the immediate past deputy governor, Baba Tela, the Government Lodge, and burned the Katagum Local Government Secretariat, all in Azare.

The development forced the government to impose a 24-hour curfew in the town pending the restoration of calmness in the area.