Bauchi State government has alleged “a plot by agents of destabilisation to cause anarchy and discredit” the administration of Governor Isa Yuguda.
The revelation was contained in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ishola Michael Adeyemi, which read: “The Bauchi State Government has uncovered a plot by some misguided and anti-progress elements to plunge the state into a crisis, using agents of destruction within and outside the state to cause disharmony and disaffection among the people of the state towards discrediting and destabilising the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Administration of the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Mallam (Dr.) Isa Yuguda.
“It has also been discovered that the brains behind this evil plot against the government and good people of Bauchi State have recruited and engaged malleable newspaper columnists, hack-writers, propaganda merchants and rumour vendors to spread rumour, raise false alarm, and publish deliberate misinformation about the state and the Chief Executive with a view to imposing hate, fear and terror, thereby scaring citizens, residents, visitors and genuine investors from engaging in peaceful, productive and legitimate business in the state.
“The government is pleased however to inform the good and peace-loving people of the state that it is adequately on top of the situation, courtesy of our competent and security officers collaborating with patriotic and loyal members of the public. To this end, government is in possession of closely-guarded documents detailing the sponsors, sources, and strategies of the plotters, including their collaborators within the state.”
The statement said the government was still studying the details of the plot adding that its investigations so far had revealed the involvement of “three wealthy, highly-placed and influential persons”.
It went on: “These three arrowheads of the plot have held clandestine meetings in some capital cities within and outside the country, especially in the high-brow districts of Maitama and Asokoro in Abuja where no less than five meetings have taken place with some top politicians, opposition figures and media persons in attendance. None of the meetings in Abuja lasted less than four hours.”
Urging the media to avoid being used as a tool by the plotters to achieve their intention, it added: “Just as we employ this medium to give further assurance that while our doors will continue to be open to the media at all times, we will not hesitate to take appropriate legal and legitimate measures wherever and whenever there are threats to the public image of the government and people of Bauchi State.”
