Two traditional leaders, including the District and Village Heads of the affected community in Gombe State, who were accused of negligence in their responsibility to prevent the escalation of local conflicts, have been suspended.
The suspension was part of the decisive measures taken by the State Government in order to strengthen security across the state, following an expanded State Security Council meeting chaired by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The meeting was attended by heads of security agencies and paramilitary services in the state; relevant Commissioners, Council Chairpersons and traditional rulers, led by the Emir of Gombe, HRH Alhaji Dr Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III
Briefing journalists shortly after the meeting, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Muhammad Umar, said that the Council deliberated extensively on recent security developments and adopted far-reaching resolutions aimed at maintaining the enviable status of Gombe as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria.
Umar disclosed that the council had received reports of renewed farmer-herder skirmishes in parts of the state, which unfortunately led to the loss of 2 lives in Funakaye Local Government Area.
He said, “The Council viewed their inaction as a serious dereliction of duty. Traditional rulers are the government’s first line of contact at the grassroots, and they must be proactive in resolving disputes before they escalate.”
In another security measure, the Council banned the transportation of scrap materials (Bola-Jari) from 6:00 pm to 7:00 am, following reports that stolen parts and vandalised public properties are often moved under the cover of darkness.
To strengthen enforcement, the government has also approved the centralisation of scrap and second-hand property business, popularly known as “Bola Jari” activities, in a designated yard within the state capital.
This is to be coordinated by a committee under the Commissioner of Trade, Industry and Tourism, which will include representatives from security agencies, local government councils and other stakeholders.
“This measure will allow for proper monitoring, accountability and regulation of the trade, which has unfortunately become a channel for criminal activities,” the Commissioner noted.
The security council also deliberated on the growing menace of drug abuse and its link to rising criminal activities.
The Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Gombe gave what the Council described as a disturbing picture of drug trafficking and consumption trends in the state.
To strengthen the fight against narcotics and illicit substances, NDLEA announced plans to establish operational offices in all 11 Local Government Areas of Gombe State.
