Member representing Wase Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, has mobilised traditional rulers, political leaders, security agencies and community stakeholders to strengthen the fight against banditry and other criminal activities in Bashar Chiefdom, Plateau State.
The stakeholders met on Saturday at the palace of the Rekna of Bashar, Abdullahi Idris, to develop a coordinated response to insecurity, particularly in border communities and mining areas reportedly exploited by criminal elements.
Wase said tackling insecurity required more than military operations, stressing the need for grassroots intelligence gathering, effective communication between communities and security agencies, and unity among local stakeholders.
The mobilisation follows the deployment of an Intervention Battalion of Special Forces to the Bashar base, a development Wase had commended the Nigerian Army leadership for. Community leaders are reportedly working with the troops to improve security coordination and strengthen responses to threats across the chiefdom.
As part of its security strategy, the Bashar traditional leadership has pledged to establish direct communication channels between village heads and frontline security operatives to facilitate timely intelligence sharing.
The traditional council also plans to strengthen monitoring of mining sites, which have reportedly attracted unregulated operators and contributed to criminal activities in rural communities.
Wase’s intervention builds on his legislative efforts to address insecurity in Plateau State’s southern zone. He has previously sponsored motions of urgent public importance in the House of Representatives, calling for federal security deployments and humanitarian assistance for displaced persons.
The Bashar Chiefdom Community Development Association (BACCODA) expressed optimism that cooperation between Wase, the traditional council and other stakeholders would help restore peace, protect farming livelihoods and safeguard lives and property across the chiefdom.
The latest initiative underscores efforts to combine military deployment with community-led intelligence and local coordination in addressing insecurity in Wase Local Government Area.
