Aggrieved youths in Toro, headquarters of Toro LGA of Bauchi on Friday, trooped out in their hundreds to show their anger over perceived neglect by the Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Umar Buba since he was elected.
Reports from the area indicated that youths, cutting across political divide, took to the streets, booing the Senator shouting in Hausa, “Bamayi”, “Mun gaji da kai” translating in English “We are not doing you again”, “We are tired of you”.
A reliable source from Toro who witnessed the happening told Our Correspondent that the incident occurred on Friday at about 8 pm when the Senator visited the town to pay a condolence visit following the death of Imam Abdulkadir Abubakar, the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque in Toro.
According to the source, though there was no clear justification for the protest and booing of the Senator, it could be attributed to recent allegations that Senator Shehu Buba Umar was responsible for the rejection of Twelve Toro indigenes from being recruited into the Nigerian Army training camp.
It was alleged that the twelve people who were shortlisted to be part of the recruitment as facilitated by another son of the area were discharged on the instructions of the Senator.
Additionally, the development was said to have been aggravated by frustration over the Senator’s seeming neglect of people of Toro town having not initiated any projects in the Town since taking office two years ago despite having one of his Legislative Aides from the town.
It was reported that despite arriving quietly at night, hundreds of the youths gathered on Mallallawa Street, chanting “Bamayi, Bamayi, Karyane,” and attempting to chase him out of the town.
Although his current Special Legislative Assistant (SLA) and some aides tried to calm the crowd, the youths continued their chant of “Bamayi” forcing the Senator and his entourage to halt their movement.
In an attempt to ease the situation, the Senator was said to have offered the youths some money, but they turned it down, insisting that their concern was not financial, but a listening ear from the Senator considering the fact that they played a major role in his election.
The Youths insisted that they desire an atmosphere to meet with him to discuss pressing issues affecting Toro Town and its surroundings as well as how he intends to empower the teeming youths.
Although he agreed to their request and asked them to schedule a time for the meeting, the chants of “Bamayi” persisted until the Senator left the town.
While condoling family of the deceased, Buba Umar donated the sun of N5m for upkeep just as he made other donations to some other people including the Naibi (Deputy) to the late Imam, elders, and women around the family.
The Senator also promised to build a perimeter fence around the Eid prayer ground in the town to check encroachment as well as drill a borehole to ease water scarcity in the place.
The source however exonerated the Senator from having a hand in the rejection of the recruits saying, “In fairness to him and based on the evidence I have, he was not aware of the problem. I am convinced that he cannot do such a thing.”
According to him, “You know that Toro town is the center of politics in Toro LGA, anything that happens there will definitely affect the entire LGA. The Youths are not happy with the Senator because he has neglected them in terms of dividends of democracy since he was elected.”
The source however faulted the SLA, Maijamaa Mato who is from Toro town but cannot do anything to help the situation.
All efforts to get reactions from the Aides of the Senator failed as the SLA, Maijamaa Mato did not pick up the phone when his phone number was called several times nor did he respond to the sms and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile number.
When contacted, a friend of the Senator said that he was not in the country but promised to get the SLA to respond to the issue. But he has not called our correspondent as at the time of filing this report.
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