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Hoodlums attack lawmakers, injure 6, destroy cars in Bauchi

Hoodlums, on Monday, attacked Bauchi State lawmakers at a guest house, damaging cars and windows during a function in the State.

NAN reports that the House was embroiled in a leadership crisis last Thursday, with 22 members passing a vote of confidence on the Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, and principal officers of the Assembly.

Babale Abubakar, the Majority Leader of the House, told newsmen in Bauchi on Monday that the latest attack, which happened at about 4pm as the lawmakers were having a meeting, left six of them injured.

Abubakar said, “At least six vehicles were destroyed by the invaders who also smashed window glasses.

“They were over 100 and were carrying guns, sticks and machetes.”

“It was terrifying. Some of us ran towards the exit door and were badly hurt,” he added.

Abubakar disclosed that no sooner than the Special Adviser on State and National Assembly Liaison to the State governor, Sani Mohammed Burra left them, that the hoodlums unleashed their mayhem.

He also said that one of them held him by the neck and asked if he was still a leader in the House.

Abubakar said, “He said they were ready to kill me. Six members were injured in the process. Some were taken to the hospital and l believe they would be fine.

“It was a scary situation. It’s sad.”

Abubakar, however, said the matter had been reported to the Commissioner of Police in the State.

Two members of the Katsina State House of Assembly, on Monday, broke down in tears during plenary while deliberating over the escalating insecurity situation bedevilling the state.

During his presentation on the floor of the House, the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Shehu Dalhatu-Tafoki, presented a motion of urgent Public Importance over the level of insecurity in the state.

According to Dalhatu-Tafoki, the situation had become alarming as it keeps getting worse daily despite efforts of the federal, state governments and the security agencies.

The Deputy Speaker also noted that the issue of insecurity in the state was worsening by the day, with more people being killed everyday as more communities were being affected.

“There is a serious need for the security outfits in the state to increase their outposts across the state, especially the most insecurity affected areas.

The outposts in those areas are not enough, they cannot overpower the bandits, despite the huge amounts of money being spent on them,” he said.

In his contribution, Alhaji Haruna Goma, representing Dandume constituency, said no fewer than 11 persons were killed in two communities of Dandume, while many were abducted, before breaking down in tears as he could not finish his speech.

While narrating the incident, the lawmaker called on government at all levels to come to their aid before members of his community end up being massacred.

A second lawmaker, the Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, representing Funtua constituency, also shed tears as he narrated how bandits had laid siege to his constituency for the past 40 days, attacking the people on a daily basis, killing scores and kidnapping many.

After the long deliberations by the lawmakers, the assembly unanimously adopted the motion and called on all relevant authorities to look into the issue in the interest of those affected.

The House also resolved to hold a meeting with the National assembly members from Katsina and also the state executive arm, to discuss the issue of insecurity, as well as inviting all heads of security agencies in the state and the state’s committee on security, for solutions to the problem.