Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi, has denounced the recent wave of kidnappings in the State.

He urged the Special Operation Command of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to step up surveillance in the four affected Local Government Areas.

The Governor named Tafawa-Balewa, Toro, Ningi, and Alkaleri LGAs as the flashpoint areas.

According to The Daily Post, kidnappings have been occurring frequently in some regions of the State and have been targeting peasant farmers, who are now afraid to go to their farms.

Mohammed made the request on Thursday during a courtesy call with Air Vice Marshal E. E. Effiong, the Officer Commanding Special Operation Command NAF, Bauchi.

He expressed optimism that the joint operation by the Special Operations Command in collaboration with other security agencies would end bandits’ incursions in the state

“We have been almost overwhelmed by the preponderance of insecurity elements here and there by virtue of their operations in some parts of the country.

“Bauchi State is the gateway to seven states and all the regions of the north, so we are always having all these runaways that are coming here,” the Governor stated.

He reiterated his commitment to make sure that security agencies in the State get all the support they need to succeed in the task ahead.

“What the NAF is doing is very beneficial to us as an agrarian State where the people do subsistence farming.

“If we don’t farm, then we don’t have any source of living, so we must make the farms and the roads free of any insecurity,” he stated.

Earlier speaking, AVM E.E. Effion assured the Governor of the NAF's support and contributions for the growth and development of the State and Nigeria as a whole.

He appreciated the contributions of the State government towards the safety of its citizens, calling on them to continue to provide them with maximum support.