By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

The Borno State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide journalists with adequate knowledge of electoral laws and procedures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The council made the call on Wednesday in Maiduguri when the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Borno State, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, visited the NUJ secretariat.

The NUJ Chairman, Comrade Abdulkareem Haruna, said better understanding of the electoral process among journalists would promote accurate, balanced and professional reporting before, during and after the elections.

Mr Haruna pledged the council’s cooperation with INEC to ensure comprehensive coverage of electoral activities and support initiatives aimed at promoting credible elections through responsible journalism.

He described the REC’s visit as an important step towards strengthening the relationship between the electoral commission and the media.

According to him, sustained engagement between INEC and journalists would deepen understanding of electoral procedures and help the public access reliable information.

Responding, Mr Abdullahi pledged to strengthen collaboration with the media to ensure accurate electoral information reaches the electorate throughout the electoral process.

He urged journalists to verify electoral information through INEC and other authoritative sources rather than relying solely on social media.

The REC said journalists had a critical role in educating voters on electoral procedures and urged them to obtain adequate knowledge of relevant electoral laws to enable them report objectively.

He assured journalists that his office remained open to enquiries, clarifications and engagements on matters concerning the electoral process.

Mr Abdullahi said effective communication between INEC and the media would help reduce misinformation and improve public understanding of electoral procedures ahead of the 2027 elections.

By Auwal Umar, Gombe

The Founder and President of the Al-Ansar Foundation, Dr Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, has commended Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, for his administration’s efforts to rebuild the state, restore public confidence and improve the lives of residents affected by years of insurgency.

Dr Dikwa said Governor Zulum’s approach to governance had gone beyond physical reconstruction to include restoring hope, expanding access to education and healthcare, supporting vulnerable citizens and creating conditions for sustainable development.

He made the assessment in a statement issued to mark the governor’s 57th birthday.

According to him, Borno State has faced enormous challenges arising from insurgency, including mass displacement, destruction of communities and infrastructure and prolonged humanitarian needs.

He, however, said the administration had responded through interventions in reconstruction, resettlement, education, healthcare, agriculture, housing, road infrastructure and urban development.

“Governor Zulum has demonstrated resilience, courage and compassion in leading Borno through one of the most challenging periods in its history,” Dr Dikwa said.

He particularly highlighted the administration’s investments in education, including the rehabilitation and reconstruction of schools affected by insurgency.

Dr Dikwa said the investments would have a lasting impact by giving children from affected communities access to learning opportunities and helping to rebuild the future of the state.

He also commended efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery, support vulnerable citizens and rebuild critical infrastructure as part of the transition from conflict and displacement to recovery and sustainable development.

“The true measure of leadership lies not only in the number of roads, schools, hospitals or buildings constructed, but also in the lives transformed, communities restored, children given opportunities and hope restored to those who have suffered,” he said.

The Al-Ansar Foundation president said the restoration of hope among people who had endured years of violence and displacement remained one of the important indicators of effective leadership.

He reminded public office holders that leadership is an Amanah — a sacred trust from Almighty Allah — requiring justice, accountability, compassion and sincere service to humanity.

Dr Dikwa called for continued efforts to strengthen peace, security, unity and stability in Borno State and Nigeria, particularly as the state approaches another political transition.

He prayed for wisdom, strength, good health and divine guidance for Governor Zulum to enable him complete the programmes and projects initiated by his administration.

He also prayed for Allah’s protection over the governor and his family and for lasting peace, prosperity and development across Borno State.

“Public offices are temporary, but the consequences of good leadership can endure for generations,” Dr Dikwa said.

He expressed hope that Governor Zulum’s years in office would be remembered for courage, compassion, purposeful leadership and meaningful service to the people.

By Tada Juth, Maiduguri

 Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has called for stronger regional cooperation among Sahel and Lake Chad Basin countries to confront terrorism, insurgency and the humanitarian crisis that has persisted across the region for nearly two decades.

Mr Zulum made the call on Saturday while declaring open a two-day high-level retreat involving representatives of Sahel countries and ambassadors at the Musa Usman Secretariat Complex in Maiduguri.

The meeting brought together officials and diplomats from countries affected by insecurity in the wider Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, including Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

The retreat focused on terrorism, diplomatic relations and the need for a coordinated regional response to security challenges threatening the countries.

Mr Zulum, who has consistently advocated a broader approach to addressing insecurity, said military operations alone could not end the insurgency and displacement crisis confronting the region.

“I have been consistently advocating for a multifaceted strategy that combines robust military offensives with non-kinetic interventions such as deradicalisation, reintegration and humanitarian development,” he said.

The governor said while security forces must continue their operations against terrorist groups, governments in the region needed to strengthen intelligence sharing, border management and joint stabilisation programmes.

“While our armed forces continue their brave operations, we must enhance intelligence sharing, community-based border management and joint stabilisation initiatives alongside the Multinational Joint Task Force,” he said.

Borno has remained at the centre of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts since the Boko Haram insurgency escalated in 2009. The state has also borne a significant share of the humanitarian consequences, including displacement, destruction of infrastructure and disruption of livelihoods.

Mr Zulum said the experience had demonstrated the need for governments to combine security operations with measures aimed at addressing poverty, unemployment, radicalisation and other conditions that could fuel violent extremism.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, also urged countries in the region to deepen cooperation and address the underlying causes of terrorism.

He said a sustainable solution required governments to look beyond military responses and develop coordinated strategies capable of tackling the conditions that allow extremist groups to thrive.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Umara, said Nigeria had a strong interest in the stability of the Sahel because of the region’s historical, cultural and economic connections with the country.

According to him, stability across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin is directly linked to Nigeria’s national security and socio-economic prosperity.

The Ambassador of Chad to Nigeria, Brah Mahamat, called for collective action among countries facing the security threat, despite their membership of different regional organisations.

“Although we belong to different institutional groupings, this should in no way impede our common security,” Mr Mahamat said.

He warned that terrorist groups were taking advantage of weaknesses along national borders and differences among regional blocs to expand their operations.

“Let us be clear: the enemy cares little whether we belong to CEMAC, ECOWAS or the AES. Its aim is to continue slipping across our borders, exploiting the operational limitations we have imposed upon ourselves,” he said.

The retreat is expected to provide a platform for participating countries and diplomatic representatives to explore practical measures for improving regional security cooperation, strengthening border coordination and supporting stabilisation efforts in communities affected by terrorism.

The gathering also reinforces Maiduguri’s growing importance as a centre for regional discussions on counter-terrorism, humanitarian recovery and peace-building in the Lake Chad Basin.