The district head of Lame in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Friday evening, raised the alarm over the influx of strangers into the popular Lame Burra game reserve in the area.

The district head, Alhaji Aliyu Yakubu Lame, who doubles as the Sarkin Yakin Bauchi, confirmed the presence of strangers inside the game reserve to journalists, saying that the development is worrisome.

According to the traditional leader, the strangers were young men who either came to the forest from Zamfara State in the North-West or the Southern part of the country, adding that the matter had been reported to both the state government and the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu.

“We have already profiled many of the youths in the area and we are monitoring their activities to ensure that they do not cause any security breach in the area. We have reported the matter to the Emir of Bauchi and the Bauchi State government and both of them are working hard to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order,” Alhaji Lame said.

He lamented the attitude of some traditional rulers and forestry officers who accommodate people in the bush and sometimes give them land to build houses inside the reserve without his knowledge.

He added that those illegally allowed to stay in the bush subsequently bring others to join them there.

“The major problem is where a stranger you accommodated also receives and accommodates other unknown visitors,” the district head said.

He, however, warned the concerned leaders and forestry officers in the area to desist from accepting or giving lands to strangers without following extant laws and due process.

He informed that village heads in the district under his leadership meet regularly to discuss security matters, the wellbeing of their subjects, among others, adding that they engage the services of hunters, local vigilantes who work with security agencies to monitor all the nooks and crannies of the district.

The Sarkin Yaki Bauchi, however, urged relevant security agencies and the state government to, as a matter of urgency, take steps to not only allay the fear of the people of the district over the influx of strangers but also quickly fish ou bad elements among the strangers.