Governor Zulum exposes saboteurs undermining state reconstruction efforts
By Tada Juthan
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has said that some people are sabotaging the ongoing Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (RRR) initiatives of his administration.
He said that the recent Gwoza suicide bombing attacks, which claimed 32 lives and injured over 100 people, were meant to frustrate the return of displaced persons to their communities.
Zulum made the allegations yesterday (Saturday) in Maiduguri in an interview with a journalist on his arrival at the airport from a month’s vacation.
His words: “I handed over the mantle of leadership to my deputy, Umar Kadafur, in an acting capacity for a month, during which the sabotage of RRR occurred, while on vacation.”
The governor, however, did not mention the names of the saboteurs; he maintained that the state under his leadership will continue to collaborate with security agencies and other stakeholders to restore peace and provide livelihood support to the IDP returnees.
“What happened in Gwoza a few weeks ago is very unfortunate, but we are not going to be deterred.
“We know that some people are sabotaging all our efforts in resettlement of our IDPs, but with God by our side, we will overcome the challenges of insurgency that have claimed many lives and property in the state.”
He said that the government would continue to ensure that people had peace by returning them to their ancestral homes.
Besides the restoration of peace, he added, “We are going to sustain our efforts in enhancing agricultural support for our farmers to ensure food security and development.”
On the concluded 2024 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia, where the governor was among the contingents, he expressed satisfaction with the conduct of Borno pilgrims while in the Holy Land.
He commended the federal government, the National Hajj Commission, and the Borno team for good coordination, stressing that “those who are complaining about the exercise should go and sort it out themselves.”.
Zulum, therefore, called on the people of the state to continue to give maximum support and cooperation to the federal and state governments for effective performance.
