Two workers of the Bauchi State Ministry of Housing and Environment on Saturday reportedly escaped being lynched by some charcoal producers in Zaranda village, Toro Local Government Area of the state.

The incident took place during an inspection of Zaranda by a team of Mobile Court on Environmental Abuse set up by the ministry.

The Chairman of the Mobile Court, Magistrate Laraba Hamisu, was one of the officials attacked.
According to a source, the team’s assignment was forcefully terminated following several threats by the attackers who later smashed the windscreens of the team’s vehicles.

The state Commissioner for Housing and Environment, Mr Hamisu Shira, condemned the villagers’ actions but said the government would not be intimidated.

He warned that the perpetrators of illegal tree felling for charcoal making, an activity for which the community is renowned for, would be apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
Meanwhile, the Bauchi Police Command has arrested about 72 suspects for various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery and thuggery within the last one month in the state.

The police spokesperson, Kamal Abubakar, while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters, on Saturday said 57 suspects had been charged to court while 15 others were still under investigation.