By: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Residents of Hadejia city in Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State have expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation in the ancient town, attributing the trend to the gradual collapse of critical public infrastructure.
The residents, who spoke separately with our reporter in the state, said issues once treated with levity had escalated into serious threats to lives and property, especially in communities on the outskirts of the city where criminal activities have reportedly intensified.
An official of the Hadejia Progressive Group (HPG), Ahmed Illah, said insecurity in the area has reached an alarming level, forcing many residents who had earlier relocated to settlements outside the city centre to return, fearing attacks by hoodlums.
“Hadejia is no longer as safe as it used to be. People who moved to the outskirts in search of cheaper accommodation are now returning to the city centre because of frequent attacks,” Illah said.
Also speaking, an elder and retired senior civil servant, Alhaji Muslimu Tanimu, accused the current local government administration of neglect and failure to sustain existing security initiatives put in place by the previous leadership.
According to the residents, virtually every neighbourhood in Hadejia has experienced one form of harassment or intimidation, creating widespread fear and uncertainty among the populace.
They particularly decried the collapse of public security infrastructure, notably streetlights and security lights, which they said are no longer functional across the town, thereby worsening the situation at night.
The residents recalled that in March 2024, the immediate past Chairman of Hadejia Local Government Area, Hon. Bala Umar T.O, launched a special security initiative aimed at strengthening safety and protecting lives and property within the council.
They lamented that the current administration has failed to build on or sustain the security framework it inherited, despite what they described as substantial monthly allocations accruing to the local government.
“We are worried that a system designed to safeguard our communities has been abandoned,” one of the residents said.
“The question we keep asking is why the local government, with all the resources at its disposal, cannot continue a programme that once brought relative calm to Hadejia.
”Residents listed some of the prevalent crimes to include armed robbery, motorcycle and handset snatching, as well as attacks on Point-of-Sale (PoS) operators in areas such as Unguwar Gawuna, NTA and Shagari Bypass.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Lawal Shi’isu Adam has dismissed reports of worsening insecurity in the area, insisting that no official complaint has been lodged with the police.
SP Lawal Shi’isu Adam said that the command had not received any formal report regarding the alleged incidents.“There is no official report of such issues from the area. As far as we are concerned, there is no such problem at all,” the police spokesman said.
He explained that the Commissioner of Police is adequately represented at the local level by the Area Commander and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), who are fully in charge of security within their respective jurisdictions.
According to him, neither individuals nor groups have formally reported or submitted complaints to the police concerning the alleged crimes in Hadejia.
SP Adam, however, advised members of the public to always report suspicious activities and provide useful information to security agencies to enable timely intervention.
He assured that the command, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Dahiru Muhammad, psc, remains committed to maintaining peace and would not allow any criminal element to operate freely anywhere in Jigawa State.
