Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has warned local council officials and community leaders to stop selling lands to strangers in their domains.
Mohammed gave the warning during the distribution of economic strengthening items to 1,000 youths, on Wednesday in Shira, Shira Local Government Area of the state.
He said that indiscriminate sale of lands by local officials led to clashes between cattle breeders and farmers in the state.
“As traditional rulers and council chairmen, you are called to serve the people, you must fear God in whatever you do.
“We should stop cheating because of our selfish tendencies. We should stop cheating those that are down the ladder.
“Please, local government council chairmen, traditional rulers, state officials, we should resist the temptation of selling land to make temporary money.
“We should resist the temptation of taking the land from the people who own them, especially the cattle routes and the rest because that is where you have conflicts
“We must make it possible for herders to move around and we must tell our herders not to trespass into our farms.
“We must tell our local council chairmen not to sell our lands to people coming from other places,” he said.
The governor appreciated community and religious leaders as well as members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for their support to the government.
He said that his administration would sponsor a bill to the State House of Assembly that would enable the government to have effective feedback on security matters.
“We are a government that is always conscious, always looking around, supervising and monitoring.
“We want to leave legacies and landmarks in a manner that Bauchi would become the next special international investment destination,” he added. (NAN)
