Gombe State Police Commissioner, Hayatu Usman, has dismissed assertions of bandit incursion into the state and the proliferation of informants.
In a statement released by the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mahid Abubakar, the Police Commissioner refuted claims made by another security agency, labeling them as baseless.
The controversy arose after the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Muhammad Bello, cautioned residents against harboring strangers or their associates, citing an alleged migration of criminals from the North-West to the North-East during the decoration of 302 officers on Tuesday.
In response, Commissioner Usman asserted that such assertions were unfounded, assuring the public of the absence of any imminent threat in Gombe State. The statement emphasized the commitment of the Gombe State Police Command, in collaboration with other security agencies, to safeguarding lives, property, and maintaining law and order in the state.
“The attention of Gombe State Police Command has been drawn to a trending video in circulation purported to have emanated from a sister security agency that ‘bandits have infiltrated Gombe State and that bandits informants are on the increase,'” the statement clarified.
Usman urged residents to disregard the circulating misinformation and carry on with their daily activities without fear. He further encouraged the public to provide credible information to aid in maintaining peaceful coexistence within the state.