IN SPITE of Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s order for the immediate dismantling of all security check points within the state, News Point Nigeria’s investigation reveals that, Police check points are still very much manned around the state.
Recall on March 6, the state governor in a statement signed and issued by the Commissioner for Information, Meshack Lauco, ordered the immediate dismantling of all Police check points in Gombe.
According to the statement, the decision was arrived at following due consultation with heads of security agencies in the state.
The governor urged citizens to co-operate with the directive in the interest of peace and security in the state, even with the latest development.
The statement disclosed that the check points at the border with the neighbouring states “shall remain in place and shall only be closed for vehicular movement from 12 midnight to 6am,” the statement added.
News Point Nigeria checks, however, showed that there are over 43 Police check points still in operation 24 hours a day across the 11 Local Government Areas and 14 Emirates/Chiefdoms in the state.
Our correspondent, who went to all the local government areas in the state over a period of three days discovered that only 5 out of the 48 check points across the state have been dismantled after the governor’s order.
The five dismantled check points are also check points in close proximity to the government house and within the state metropolis areas.
Outside the metropolis, there are 16 check points from Shomgom through Billiri, to Akko, to the state capital, to Kwami to Funakaye to Nafada.
There are also 11 check points from Dukku to the state capital to Yamaltu Deba, while there are 18 check points from Balanga to Kaltungo to the state capital and all the way to Wuro Bongu.
Speaking to our correspondent, a commercial bus driver, Haruna Dan Bauchi said, the police will not dismantle the check points because of the little ‘thank yous’ they get from commercial drivers and private commuters.
“This Gombe route is a very busy route for travellers especially politicians and traders going to Kano, Kaduna from the far East or neighboring African countries. And these security people make a lot of money, so how do you expect them to dismantle these check points. They won’t”.
“The governor promised our unions that he will look into these check points issue and we promised to vote for him come March 18 but with this police refusal to comply, that agreement is not binding on us anymore”, he added.
Responding to the allegation, a police officer at one of the check points, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied that the police refusal was because of the ‘thank yous’ from commuters and drivers.
“There are a lot of big security threats here on these roads, I don’t even understand why the governor asked us to leave, everything is politics in this country, just because he wanted a re-election. We are here to protect the travellers – nothing more.”
On their parts, there seem to be contrasting perceptions on the issue from travellers, while Esther Audu feels the police check points should not be dismantled as it serves to protect the travellers, Garba Akko thinks there is no need for the check points in Gombe.
Reacting to the development, the Director-General of Press Affairs to the governor, Ismaila Uba Misilli, said the govt is not aware of the refusal by police to comply but he will investigate the matter and get back to this newspaper.
Messages sent to the Gombe Police Command PPRO, ASP Mahid Mu’azu Abubakar were not replied and calls were not answered as at the time of filling this report.