Bauchi State

By Aiman Fodio

As a concerned rank-and-file student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), let me say this. Look around this group. We are on different levels: some have been here for nearly a decade, some for five years, some for six. It is a whole spectrum of experience. But I want you to pause and ask yourself one question: What have you observed about student leadership over your time here?

Aren’t these complaints we are lodging day in, day out, the same old tunes we have grown familiar with? What tangible change have you witnessed across the number of administrations you have seen come and go? The script, sadly, never changes. The concerns are always the same: school fees increment, access to accommodations, and, just recently, the NELFUND refund joined the party. And let’s not forget the usual guest stars—water and light issues—making their regular appearance.

The most painful part? The approach to these problems remains the same every time, so much so that you could write the Students’ Union Government’s response in your sleep. “We are in dialogue with management.” “We implore students to remain calm.” “We are aware of your plight.” It is a tired liturgy. But let us be fair—exempt that issue of protest. The real tragedy is that the SUG is often not given proper regard by the management. An SUG President will struggle to secure a simple appointment with the VC. If a concession will not work out, then… wallahi, this daily complaint cycle will never work out. Nothing will change.

This is precisely why people like me, who once stood a chance, withdrew our interest from the beginning. I speak from the inside: from my time in Gamji Memorial Club to serving as a serial senator, Chief Whip, and even Deputy Senate President in the SUG Parliament. I’ve seen the engine room. I have been asked so many times by those who saw this trajectory. “Why not run for SUG President?” They ask. The answer is these limits and the remote control. They make you lose interest because you know, no matter your passion or plan, you will ultimately fail those who gave you their loyalty and support. The structure is designed to frustrate genuine agency.

Why do our student leaders fail? Or, rather, why does the system ensure they cannot succeed? Both questions are intertwined. Off the top of my head, I can identify at least three (out of one hundred) reasons. One, a leadership selection process based on popularity and empty promises, not pragmatic skill. Two, a university management structure that sees student leadership as a necessary nuisance to be managed, not a partner in welfare. Three, the domination of the SUG space by the politically ambitious, rather than the service-oriented.

In this matter, I will dwell on the first: our own role as students in choosing the wrong pilots. It could be emotional: we vote for the most charismatic orator, the one who throws the biggest parties, the one with the slickest posters. It could be tribal: we vote based on faculty, department, or state of origin. It could also be a result of a poor understanding of the depth of the challenges ahead. We set our leaders up for a verdict of failure from the campaign period onward. We want them to fix in one semester what has been broken for a decade, and when they cannot perform magic, we brand them as sell-outs.

I have been there before. In my first year, I was a staunch supporter of a particular SUG presidential candidate. He spoke like Fela, promised like Obama, and had a slogan that was on everyone’s lips. Upon visiting our hostel to campaign, he was wowed by our living conditions. He said if a student could live like this, then he had his work cut out for him. I started promoting him as the leader who would finally make management listen. At the time, I saw management’s deaf ear as our only problem. I did not take kindly to any criticism of my candidate. But less than three months into his administration, I had turned to his critic. It was a case of disappointed love.

For one, I couldn’t stand some of his executives. I said if this man really wanted to fight for us, as he staunchly promised in his manifesto, some persons should not have been in his cabinet. When he started talking about “understanding management’s constraints,” I was incensed. All my life as a student, I had argued that students, being the reason the university exists, should enjoy basic dignity. I refused to evaluate or accept any administrative arguments. I concluded he had been compromised, as I was more interested in the militant implications. Meanwhile, our water situation got worse. I held him liable for failing to lead a strong protest as he had promised during his campaign.

That was how our dear messiah began to unravel. Ahead of the next election, I had found another messiah in a final-year student known for his fearless critiques of management on social media. I said this was the fighter we needed! By then, I was already in the parliament, seeing the gap between fiery speeches on the floor and actual results from the executive. I remember arguing for him in a hostel lounge. My friend, who was in the School of Environmental Technology, called to ask me, jokingly: “So how much did he pay you for this?” With that candidate’s dream going nowhere, I gave up on my search for a student messiah. Instead, I started thinking: “Let’s make do with what we have.”

That was why, when the next candidate was being marketed as the “bridge-builder” and “technocrat,” I was calm. I had become a realist. My worldview had evolved. Even later, as Chairman of the Bauchi Axis for NAUS, I saw how student politics at every level face the same structural walls. I had looked deeply at ATBU’s power dynamics and its complications. I said this candidate, relatively connected, would only try, but not much would change. The water problem he inherited only worsened as more hostels were built. Rather than face this common threat, the SUG and management resorted to politicking and finger-pointing. Meanwhile, frustration grabbed us by the neck, but only the SUG President carried the blame.

As we later saw, all the politicking was geared towards securing a peaceful tenure and a good recommendation letter from management. The cycle continued. That is how overmarketing begins again every election. People who previously abused and rejected a candidate become pilots of their campaign, creating fables and fantasies. I am so worried for the next set that I will say this: God help the next SUG President if, by their second semester, hostels still lack water; if the electricity is more off than on; if the NELFUND issue is still unresolved; and if accommodation is still a blood sport. They won’t find it funny!

Let me be very clear: there is nothing wrong with having expectations. In fact, to expect nothing will be a tragedy. However, ATBU will not change overnight—no matter what any SUG candidate promises, or how their supporters sell them. The management structure is rigid. We can’t reduce fees or increase water supply within the twinkling of an eye. Many good things take time and persistent, intelligent pressure. We don’t need to be deceived, or to deceive ourselves, at election times.

What then? We need to temper our pre-election expectations and sharpen our post-election engagement. We need to vote for the gritty pragmatist with a three-point welfare plan (Water. Light. Health.) over the flamboyant orator with a 50-page manifesto. We must look out for signs of diligent pressure and creative advocacy to avoid concluding within a month that a leader has failed. A President who fails to secure a fee reduction but installs and maintains 10 new boreholes has not failed entirely. Selling every candidate as a messiah is the issue, but even if they were the messiah, could they succeed in this system? That is the question.

But we must also demand that management stop seeing the SUG as a kindergarten government. A student leader who must beg for three weeks to see the VC is set up for ridicule and failure. Until that relationship is recalibrated into one of respectful engagement, we will remain here, singing the same songs of lament. It is all politics—and, sadly, politics in which the most important voters, the students, often empower the very system that frustrates them.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

THE CV CANDIDATE

We must be wary of the candidate whose entire campaign seems designed to add a glossy line to their CV. You can spot them by their focus on “organising flagship events” and “international partnerships” while being vague on hostel water pressure. Their tenure is often a series of photo-ops with management, culminating in a glowing reference letter while the student’s condition remains unchanged. Ambition.

THE QUIET LOBBYIST

Conversely, let us not discount the quiet lobbyist. The one who may not be great on Twitter but is always in the Dean’s office, presenting costed proposals for water tankers or negotiating small but real wins on exam deadlines. This approach lacks drama and doesn’t fuel the “activist” brand, but it sometimes yields the only tangible results we see. Pragmatism.

MANAGEMENT’S BLIND SPOT

The university management often forgets that a frustrated, disrespected student body is a tinderbox. By neutering the SUG and denying it genuine agency, they create an environment in which peaceful channels are seen as useless, making spontaneous, unmanageable unrest more likely. It is a profound failure of strategic thinking. Shortsighted.

OUR COLLECTIVE AMNESIA

Finally, we, the students, suffer from collective amnesia. Every new election cycle, we get swept up in new promises and forget the lessons of the past three administrations. We refuse to hold candidates to their predecessor’s failed promises. Until we develop an institutional memory and vote based on record and realistic plans, we will be forever disappointed. Cycle.

Aiman Fodio is the former Executive Chairman of the National Association of University Students (NAUS) Bauchi Axis and a serial legislator during his time in ATBU Unionism. He is currently a final year student of ATBU.

By Usman Muhammad Salihu

In politics, timing is everything; at the same time, timing alone is never enough.

The defection of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Kauran Bauchi) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has continued to generate debate. With key loyalists reportedly moving with him, what initially appeared as a risky political leap is now being interpreted by some as a calculated repositioning.

But beneath the surface of strategy lies a more complex electoral reality, one that could ultimately decide whether this move succeeds or collapses. At the heart of the argument is the voter.

While Bauchi State has seen moments when lesser-known parties gained traction, particularly at the legislative level, where individuals have won seats in the State House of Assembly outside dominant party structures, statewide or nationwide politics operate on a far wider and more demanding scale.

The dynamics are different. The visibility is broader. The stakes are higher. And most importantly, party identity still carries significant weight.

At the level of electoral reality, however, the risks cannot be dismissed. Nigerian elections—especially at the governorship level—are still heavily influenced by party identity. Voters, particularly in rural strongholds, often associate credibility with established platforms rather than emerging ones.

In that sense, defecting to a less dominant structure, such as the Allied Peoples Movement, introduces an immediate disadvantage: the loss of automatic party loyalty.

Campaigning under such conditions creates a double burden. It is no longer just about selling a candidate—it is about introducing and legitimising a political platform simultaneously. That dual responsibility can stretch time, resources, and political influence thin, especially in a competitive race involving the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the emerging coalition around the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

From this view, the move carries a real risk of political isolation if voter perception does not align quickly enough with elite-level strategy.

Yet, it would be premature to interpret the move purely as risk. Nigerian political history also rewards early structural repositioning. Movements that eventually became influential often began as unpopular or misunderstood alignments.

In that context, Gov. Kaura’s move may be less about immediate electoral gain and more about long-term political architecture—building a platform where loyalty is personal, structure is controlled, and direction is defined internally rather than inherited from party hierarchies.

There is also a strategic possibility that this move is an attempt to build or shape a movement similar in political culture, if not in scale, to the Kwankwasiyya associated with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a structure rooted in identity, loyalty, and grassroots emotional connection rather than party stability alone.

If sustained, such a model can evolve into a political identity strong enough to survive beyond a single election cycle. But like all movements, it requires time, consistency, and deep voter penetration.

If the electorate does not understand or accept the new platform in time, the strategy weakens. If the structure grows slowly but steadily, the strategy strengthens. Either outcome is possible.

Because while elite political calculations move fast, voter acceptance does not. And in elections, voters, not strategy rooms, ultimately decide outcomes. So, is Gov. Kaura’s defection a political suicide or a stitch in time?

From one angle, it introduces clear electoral risks that cannot be ignored. From another, it suggests a longer-term ambition to build something more controlled and identity-driven. Both interpretations hold weight.

So whether this move is a masterstroke or a misstep remains uncertain. The calculations may be clear. The intentions may be bold. But in politics, certainty is a luxury.

For now, all eyes remain on the unfolding reality… because, in the end, time will tell.

Usman Muhammad Salihu writes from Jos, Nigeria, via muhammadu5363@gmail.com.

It is no longer surprising, though still highly debatable, that any political outing by Dr Bala Maijama’a Wunti unsettles opponents and triggers a wave of commentary. Such reactions often generate more noise than substance, with some analysts offering arguments that appear less objective and more dismissive. At times, this tendency reflects a reluctance to confront observable realities or to revisit history in ways that enable a more informed understanding of current developments.

Wunti’s second major appearance since declaring his interest in the gubernatorial race has sparked fresh debate. Central to the discussion is his comparison of Qatar and Bauchi State, which he supports with logical reasoning and verifiable data. For me, this was not the first time I had heard him draw such parallels. I recall a previous engagement where he elaborated extensively on this comparison and shared some insights.

One striking point he raised is the contrast in population. As of January 2026, Qatar has an estimated population of about 3.3 million, while Bauchi State is home to over 8 million people, more than double Qatar’s population. Yet, despite its smaller population, Qatar boasts one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world, supporting a high standard of living, robust infrastructure, and extensive social services. In contrast, Bauchi and Nigeria more broadly continue to grapple with unemployment, inadequate electricity supply, limited access to clean water, and a struggling economy.

Land size presents another compelling contrast. Bauchi State spans approximately 45,837 square kilometres, making it more than four times larger than Qatar, which covers roughly 11,600 square kilometres. Despite its smaller size and limited arable land, Qatar has built a thriving economy. Bauchi, on the other hand, is richly endowed with vast agricultural land, offering significant potential to diversify and expand its economic base.

In terms of natural resources, Qatar produces approximately 2 million barrels of oil per day, forming the backbone of its economic strength. Bauchi State also holds promise in this regard, particularly with the Kolmani oil reserves, though these remain largely undeveloped. The contrast, therefore, is not one of absence but of utilisation. While Qatar has effectively harnessed its resources, Bauchi’s remain underexploited.

Dr Bala Wunti’s experience in the oil and gas sector adds weight to his argument. His perspective invites a reconsideration of what is possible, urging stakeholders to reflect more deeply on the state’s untapped potential.

With strategic planning and a commitment to good governance, transformative progress is achievable. Qatar’s success story is, at its core, a product of deliberate policy choices, effective leadership, and sustained investment. Bauchi State, with its abundant human and natural resources, possesses the foundational elements required for similar advancement.

Mallam Musbahu Magayaki writes from Sabon Fegi, Azare.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Federal Polytechnic Bauchi has announced the death of one of its staff members, Malam Ahmadu Maidorawa, following a motorbike accident along the ATBU Gubi campus road in Bauchi.

According to the institution, Maidorawa died on Monday afternoon as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. His sudden passing has been described as a profound loss to the Polytechnic community, where he served in several key academic and administrative roles.

Maidorawa was a former Head of the Department of Computer Science and the immediate past Dean of the School of Science and Technology. Until his death, he was the Deputy Director of the ICT Geospatial Centre of the Polytechnic.

Family members have announced that his janaza (funeral prayer) will take place later today at his family residence in Unguwar Bauchi, Bauchi.

Colleagues, students, and well-wishers have expressed grief over his death, praying for Allah’s forgiveness and eternal rest for the deceased, and for strength and comfort for those he left behind.

By Nasir Yakub

As time races toward May 29, 2027, when Bala Mohammed exits office, uncertainty has become the loudest voice in his political camp.

Those around him who harbour ambitions for governorship, National Assembly seats, state assembly positions, or other elective offices may be heading into avoidable doom — not because they lack aspiration, capacity or relevance — but because they remain tied to a leader who now appears politically unattached, operating like a freelance politician with no clear party destination.

The questions are no longer minor. They are urgent.

Will they remain in an “alive but dead” Peoples Democratic Party, a platform steadily losing strength, structure and national momentum?

Will they gamble on the emerging African Democratic Congress and hope it grows fast enough into a serious electoral vehicle before the race fully begins?

Or will they attempt the near-impossible route into the ruling All Progressives Congress, where tickets are neither cheap, automatic, nor freely handed to late arrivals?

These are not ordinary questions. They are questions of political survival.

As for Bala himself, the road ahead appears just as uncertain.

Does he remain in PDP and risk sinking with a weakened structure?

Does he seek refuge in APC, where political realignment may offer renewed relevance, stronger federal connections, and breathing space against looming anti-corruption scrutiny?

Or does he move into ADC, positioning himself as a heavyweight opposition figure ready for a fresh national bargaining table?

Every option carries gain. Every option carries danger. But delay now carries the highest danger of all.

Politics rewards movement, not hesitation.

While some are still waiting for signals, others are already building structures. While some remain loyal in silence, rivals are already negotiating alliances. While some hope for last-minute direction, others are quietly securing delegates, mobilising resources, and planting their flags ward by ward.

That is how elections are won long before voting day.

Those waiting endlessly around Bala should understand one hard truth: loyalty without direction can become political self-sabotage.

Aspirants need time. Structures need nurturing. Supporters need certainty. Defections need timing. Campaigns need preparation. None of these things flourish in confusion.

The tragedy ahead may not be that Bala loses influence. The real tragedy may be that many around him lose opportunities simply because they waited too long for one man to decide.

Time waits for no one.

And the earlier Bala chooses a road, the better for those whose futures still hang on his next move.

Because when the final whistle sounds, excuses will not be on the ballot.

Nasir Yakub writes from Bauchi State Nigeria and can be reached via nasiryakub990@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A 200-level Biology Education student of Sa’adu Zungur University (SAZU), Gadau, Maryam Yakeem, has been seriously injured after suspected phone snatchers attacked her in Bauchi State.

The incident took place in Gadau town, within Itas Gadau Local Government Area, but outside the university premises. The attack has sparked concern among residents, who say violent phone theft has become more common in the area.

Witnesses said the assailants, said to be four in number, confronted the student and demanded her mobile phone. During the attack, one of them allegedly used a knife to cut off two of her fingers and part of her ear before fleeing with the device.

Residents in the area expressed worry over the frequency of such incidents. They urged security agencies to increase patrols and ensure those behind the crimes are arrested.

The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed the development. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, said the victim suffered severe injuries. He added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspects, recover the stolen phone, and bring the culprits to justice.

The student is currently receiving treatment at a health facility in Gadau. There are indications she may be transferred to the Federal Medical Centre in Azare for further care.

Meanwhile, the management of SAZU has dismissed reports suggesting that the attack occurred within the school campus.

Mallam Auwal Hassan, Public Relations Officer of the University, in a statement, said, “The unfortunate incident occurred outside the University environment, contrary to some misleading reports circulating in certain online media platforms suggesting that the attack took place within the University premises.

“The University Management wishes to categorically state that this claim is false and does not reflect the reality of the situation.

“It will be recalled that the Vice-Chancellor sometimes ago paid a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner of Police to further strengthen collaboration and enhance security support for the University community.”

According to the statement, the institution’s Chief Security Officer and Dean of Students Affairs visited the victim at the hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Fatimah Tahir, also conveyed sympathy to the student and reiterated the university’s commitment to the safety of both students and staff.

The management called for calm among the public and urged responsible reporting. It also reaffirmed its collaboration with security agencies to strengthen safety measures within and around the university community.

Plans by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) have broken down after both sides failed to agree on how to share control within the party.

Talks between the governor, his Turaki-led PDP faction, and leaders of the APC ended without resolution. The disagreement centred on a proposed 60–40 arrangement for control of the party structure in Bauchi State, which the APC was said to have rejected.

Despite the setback, the governor’s camp has indicated that it may still pursue political realignment. His supporters said they are open to working with other parties and are already considering new options for possible defection from the ward level up to the state.

Speaking with newsmen on Saturday, the Chairman of the Turaki-led PDP faction in Bauchi, Sama’ila Burga, said the outcome of the talks showed the APC was not prepared to integrate the existing PDP structure or accommodate the state government.

By Usman Abdullahi Koli

At a time when many are engulfed with fear of impending internal rancour that is probably capable of causing disunity and despair among key players, a time of reorganisation of the political landscape at both the national and subnational levels, comes a unifying figure who brings solutions to the upheaval experienced, particularly in the recent electoral outing.

The political atmosphere, particularly in Bauchi State, is known for turbulence and vested interests. As the state faces numerous challenges that demand more urgent structural readjustment, this is pertinent, and it raises the question of who can deliver these set goals. That is why Bala Wunti matters.

Among the political players who roll up their sleeves in aspiration to win elections, one critical issue is the unity of purpose. Unity against the monster of poverty, insecurity, hunger, unemployment, and others that are clogging the wheel of our development.

There are individuals whose presence answers questions that institutions struggle with and whose conduct reassures even the most cynical that character still matters in public life. Dr Bala Maijama’a Wunti belongs to that rare category. His story is not merely one of rise, but of formation. It is a journey shaped by early trials, sharpened by discipline, and guided by a clarity of purpose that has endured across decades.

Born into circumstances that offered little advantage, early life required resilience and self-reliance. Throughout his life, it has been punctuated by uncertainty. Yet, instead of breeding bitterness, these experiences shaped restraint, empathy, and a steady internal discipline that would later guide his every choice. Where others might have faltered, he remained composed. Where others might have hardened, he stayed measured.

Profile, professional and industry roles

His pursuit of education must be seen in that light. It was not a smooth path through institutions, but a determined journey through obstacles. From his studies in Chemistry at Ahmadu Bello University to advanced training in management at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and beyond, each step reflected commitment, not convenience. What emerged was not simply an educated man, but a prepared mind, one that understands complexity, respects structure, and values clarity over noise. In a world that often rewards speed, he chose depth. In a system that often tolerates shortcuts, he insisted on process.

When he joined the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in 1994, he entered one of the most demanding environments in the country. He did not arrive at prominence; he earned it. From his early role as the Production Programming Officer to his eventual position as Chief Upstream Investment Officer, his trajectory shows a rare pattern in public service: steady progress built on competence rather than visibility. He learned the system from within, understood its contradictions, and positioned himself not as a spectator but as a contributor to its reform. While others chased recognition, he built relevance. While others pursued titles, he mastered responsibility.

His contributions to the oil and gas sector are best measured through results. He was part of efforts that strengthened investment frameworks, restored operational discipline, and brought structure to systems long plagued by inconsistency. Initiatives such as Operation White did more than fix technical inefficiencies. They proved that accountability was possible, even in the most complex spaces. In a sector where decisions carry national consequences, his approach has always been cautious, forward-thinking, and committed to long-term value over short-term applause. That distinction separates those who merely manage systems from those who shape them.

Yet reducing his life to professional milestones would miss the larger picture. What distinguishes Bala Wunti is not only what he has done within institutions, but what he has done beyond them. The memory of hardship has stayed with him, not as a weight, but as a compass. It informs his giving, shapes his interactions, and explains the consistency of his interventions in others’ lives. His philanthropy is not occasional; it is part of who he is. Students have been supported, communities uplifted, and individuals in distress assisted through actions that are rarely announced but widely felt. The recent support for students across tertiary institutions is not a single act; it is part of a pattern that reflects a deep conviction: opportunity should not be determined by circumstance alone. Many give when it is convenient. He gives because it is necessary.

There is also a discipline in his personal conduct that deserves attention. He does not champion causes he does not believe in. He does not bend for advantage. In a political and professional culture where flexibility is often mistaken for wisdom, this restraint is rare and powerful. It gives his actions credibility and his decisions weight. His faith, central to his life, reinforces this clarity. It is visible not only in words, but also in choices that remain steady under pressure.

When he stepped out of public service on May 30, 2025, he did so quietly. There was no spectacle, no fanfare. The moment felt calm but confident, the kind of confidence that comes from knowing your work speaks for itself. Influence does not depend on the office, and in his case, it had already moved beyond it. What he carries into the next phase is not a title, but a reservoir of experience, credibility, and trust. These qualities are far more valuable than any position could ever be.

The emerging political conversation around Bauchi State must be seen through this lens. The state is no longer at a point where familiar patterns can be recycled without consequence. The challenges are deeper, expectations sharper, and the margin for error thinner. This is not a time for comfort; it is a time for deliberate choice. What is required is not just political skill, but administrative depth, economic understanding, and the ability to translate intention into results.

Bala Wunti presents a compelling case, not because he seeks attention, but because his life commands consideration. He understands systems at a level that allows him to engage governance beyond slogans. He has managed scale and complexity in ways that meet the demands of statecraft. He carries a social awareness rooted in lived experience rather than abstract empathy. Most importantly, he stands outside the entrenched rivalries that have defined political competition in the state. That distance is not detachment; it is clarity. It allows him to be seen not as a continuation of old conflicts, but as a bridge beyond them.

The argument for his consideration is therefore not emotional, even though his story moves the heart. It is rational, grounded, and difficult to dismiss. It rests on capacity, consistency, and a record that proves he can think, act, and deliver. In a context where trust is scarce, his credibility becomes stabilising. In a climate where division is costly, his neutrality is strategic. At a time that demands both firmness and thoughtfulness, his temperament aligns perfectly with the responsibility ahead.

This is not to suggest perfection. Leadership is not shown by ambition; it is revealed by preparation. In his case, the evidence is alive. From a childhood shaped by absence to a career defined by impact, his path is intentional, tested, refined, and sustained.

Bauchi faces a choice deeper than personalities. It is a choice between repetition and recalibration, between what is familiar and what is necessary. If the state is to move toward a future defined by stability, competence, and inclusive progress, it must recognise preparation when it sees it.

In Bala Wunti, experience, character, and capacity converge in a rare combination. He does not need to declare his worth. It is evident in the systems he has strengthened, the lives he has impacted, and the consistency he has maintained. The question, therefore, is not whether he has something to offer. The question is whether Bauchi is ready to choose what it truly needs.

If so, the answer is already in front of it.

Usman Abdullahi Koli wrote via mernoukoli@gmail.com. 

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has raised alarm over the dismantling of railway sleepers along the Alkaleri–Tafawa Balewa rail line, warning that the development could harm the state’s economic prospects.

The governor encountered the activity on Saturday during a trip to Alkaleri Local Government Area, where he had gone on a condolence visit. He reportedly saw contractors removing parts of the rail infrastructure.

Disturbed by the situation, Mohammed called on security agencies and relevant authorities to step in and provide a clear explanation.

He questioned the justification for removing such vital infrastructure. He said assets of this nature should not be altered without proper engagement with the state government.

The governor directed his Chief of Staff to formally contact the Federal Ministry of Transport to seek clarification. He expressed worry that important facilities within the state were being taken apart without the knowledge of local authorities.

Security operatives present at the site reportedly told the governor that the contractors were acting on instructions from the Federal Government.

Mohammed, however, said the explanation did not adequately address the concerns, given the role of the rail corridor in transporting agricultural produce across the area.

He cautioned that the removal of the sleepers could deepen transport difficulties and disrupt economic activities in communities that depend on the railway for moving goods.

The governor also called for better coordination between federal and state governments. He stressed that decisions on critical infrastructure should reflect their impact on livelihoods and local economies.

Further findings suggested that the contractors were operating with a letter said to have been issued by the Federal Government, which approved the removal of the rail tracks. No reason was stated for the action.

Speaking to residents, Mohammed assured them that he would take up the issue in Abuja. He reiterated that rail transport remains one of the most reliable and affordable options for moving goods and services.

He also raised concerns about whether there are still plans to rehabilitate railway systems across the country, especially in the North-East, which he said continues to face infrastructure deficits.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has denounced the alleged assault on Albarka Radio reporter, Mohammed Adamu, by police officers during the Eid Durbar celebration in Bununu, located in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

According to the organisation, in a statement signed by the Executive Director of CITAD, YZ Ya’u, the incident occurred while the journalist was on assignment to cover the event.

He was reportedly stopped by police officers led by the Divisional Police Officer, Jamilu Kabir. Although he identified himself and made efforts to reach the designated media section, officers allegedly attacked him.

The assault left him with head injuries and compelled him to seek medical care.

CITAD described the development as “a grave violation of press freedom and a direct attack on the fundamental rights of journalists in Nigeria.”

The group stressed that journalists remain vital to public awareness and accountability. It added that any form of intimidation or harm against media professionals weakens democratic governance and undermines the rule of law.

The organisation also noted that the incident reflects a broader concern. It stated that cases of harassment and violence against journalists by security personnel have become frequent.

According to CITAD, such actions create fear and hinder the ability of the media to function independently.

“We therefore call for:

1. An immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation into the incident.


2. The identification and prosecution of all officers involved in the assault.


3. Adequate compensation and protection for the assaulted journalist.


4. Clear directives and training for security agencies to respect and protect journalists in the course of their duties.”



CITAD further urged the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant authorities to act decisively to address what it described as a growing pattern of attacks on journalists and to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

The organisation emphasized that Nigeria must remain a country where journalists can perform their duties without fear.

It maintained that protecting press freedom is essential for the preservation of democracy and the rights of citizens.