Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed, has strongly denied claims linking him to terrorism.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Government House in Bauchi, the governor described the accusations as “shocking and absurd.”
The governor insisted that he has no connection to terrorist activities and would never condone criminality.
“I was shocked to hear that I have been accused of terrorism as a sitting governor. I am not a terrorist, I have nothing to do with terrorism, and I will never condone criminality of any kind,” he said during a ceremony where he received an Award of Excellence as a Safety Ambassador from the Safety Institute of Nigeria.
Bala Mohammed called the allegation ironic, pointing to his long record of promoting peace, security, and community development in Bauchi State.
He credited the award to the collective efforts of the people of Bauchi, saying, “Together, we worked for peace and security, and together we earned this recognition.”
The governor also raised concerns over what he described as the unfair treatment of his Commissioner for Finance, who is currently in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He suggested that this, along with his own name being mentioned in court motions, reflects a worrying pattern of political persecution.
“Despite my constitutional immunity as a governor, my name was mentioned in a motion before a court of law, while my commissioner remains incarcerated. These are troubling developments in a democratic society,” he said.
Bala Mohammed criticised the growing intolerance in Nigeria’s political environment, stressing that political differences should not be criminalised.
He warned against labeling opposition members or those who refuse to join the ruling party as criminals.
“I have kept quiet for the sake of peace and security and for the common people, but I am not a coward,” the governor added.
Bala Mohammed also criticised the federal government’s new tax policies, arguing that they would place an additional burden on Nigerians and weaken state governments.
He highlighted that Bauchi remains one of the most peaceful states in the North due to inclusive governance and cooperation across party lines.
“We have APC, PDP and NNPP in Bauchi, and we are living together in peace. That is democracy. That is tolerance,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Haruna Malgwi, a Life Member of the Safety Institute of Nigeria, explained that the award was given after a thorough assessment of the governor’s safety policies and interventions across the state.
He added that the recognition was fully deserved.