Senator representing Bauchi South senatorial district, Shehu Umar, has vowed to take appropriately lawful measures to curtail what he described as inhuman activities of security hunters in the state.
“Such unwanted killings on innocent people by the so-called security outfit in Bauchi popularly known as hunters would not be condoned under whatever guise”, the Senator said.
Senator Umar was speaking on Saturday while consoling a household in Zaranda village whose 35-year-old son, Abubakar Yahaya, was allegedly gunned down recently by the hunters.
Late Yahaya who was in charcoal business that has been banned by the Bauchi State government, was allegedly apprehended before he was killed by members of the security outfit.
Senator Umar said, “They were on their lawful business of selling charcoal, and it was in the course of doing their legitimate business when they were attacked by those hunters.”
He added, “They were attacked by a group of militia led by somebody called Umaru Shayi. They were attacked and killed, and I came to the village to commiserate with the people of Zaranda.”
Umar who was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence explained that he would not indulge the incident of killing people lawlessly, saying “I will take up the matter to the appropriate authority.”
It could be recalled that the Bauchi State Police Command recently said a charcoal dealer was arrested by members of a quasi-security outfit, the Nigerian Hunters Forestry and Security Service and it resulted in “sporadic firing” by the hunters, causing the blockage of the highway.
A statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ahmed Wakil, said subsequent interviews with local residents revealed that the blockade of the highway road was a result of the arrest of a charcoal dealer by members of the security outfit.
According to him, the incident led to the injuries sustained by Abubakar Yahaya, 35; Hussaini Yunusa, 20, and Yayangida Hussaini, 16, all from Zaranda Gari village via Toro LGA.
“They were promptly taken to the Primary HealthCare Center Zaranda Gari, where unfortunately, Abubakar Yahaya succumbed to his injuries.”
He said the Command has taken control of the situation to conduct a thorough investigation and apprehend those responsible for this unprofessional conduct.