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Zulumification Of Borno Governance
Zulumification Of Borno Governance
Uncommon spirit drives Zulum to do much more than the over 1000 touchable accomplishments he showcases
By Dauda Iliya
It is very striking to observe every elected public office holder across the three tiers government in Nigeria delivering purposeful accomplishments according to his or her political party’s manifesto and overall critical needs and aspirations of the entity he or she is elected to serve.
It is, however, more striking at this stage of democratic governance in Nigeria to observe the zest that fuels the elected public office holder to deliver the accomplishments with an astounding capacity and commitment according to every emerging crucial imperatives in the affairs of the entity he serves.
Delivering the service the people yearn for according to every emerging situations, and with the degree of gusto required for the achievement of the quality and quantity of the service delivered, are what should stand an elected public servant out of the pack.
This stands Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, solidly out, like the iconic Zuma Rock in the rocky and hilly terrain encircling Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
The professor of Agricultural Engineering ascended the governorship position in May, 2019 with a 10 pact agenda. He glided into the second tenure of his eight-year gubernatorial stint after winning his return-bid election in 2023.
He came into the second term with a strategic target of post-conflict recovery through the 25-year development plan and 10- year strategic initiatives.
In the last five and a half years of his administration, Zulum has implemented over 1,200 legacy projects in critical sectors of security, education, healthcare, housing and infrastructure, transportation
The most-astounding style of Prof Zulum’s governance is not even the exceptionally-soaring list of concrete accomplishments he showcases, in satisfaction of the critical needs of his about seven million terrorized and vulnerable Bornoans, but the sheer spirit that has driven him to strive to achieve a higher feat, unsatisfied with however long the list of enviable accomplishments he proudly showcases.
The soaring list of touchable accomplishments, and the smouldering gusto to do much more, has earned him national and global acclaim as an exemplar with regard to the reconstruction and repositioning of a terror-ravaged entity for the restoration of its eons-old enviable prosperity.
In the year 2024 that had just ended, Zulum recieved several prestigious awards including the Forbes Magazine African Leadership award for his outstanding and exemplary leadership qualities, integrity, innovation and impact driven projects.
This exceptional zest has unleashed him on his terrorized terrain, trotting around the state for the larger part of every year with the strength and vitality of the stallion, as the advertiser would say, ministering to the people, both according to the entire state’s collective critical needs, and according to the specific needs of every of its different sections.
Over the last five years since his ascension to the seat in 2019, Zulum has, through his masterstroke policies and programmes, treasured over 1,200 touchable projects, an unprecedented feat that seamlessly blends with the novel Borno Model of societal reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement and repositioning of over 200 communities displaced by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terror over the last 12 years at their ancestral locations; the de-radicalization of over 100,000 surrendered insurgents; and their subsequent reintegration in their home communities.
Over 30,000 model houses for the returnees have been build, constructed schools, healthcare facilities and public buildings which facilitate the voluntary return of over 1 million people to their ancestral homes.
With these, Prof Zulum has created a showpiece of democratic governance. With the marvelous blend of enviable accomplishments and the sheer zest to strive for more, he has not just raised the bar for whoever would succeed him as governor, but proudly stands out as a pathfinder in governance and a shining star among the state governors in the country’s current democratic experiment.
Succinctly put, Zulum is zulumifying governance in Borno State.
Like the mountain climber, he goes on the ropes governing the state with his toolkit containing his 10-pact Agenda, 25-year Development Plan and 5-year Strategic Development Plan as his potent instruments, strapped to his shoulders.
The uncommon spirit nourishing and driving his personality has always kept him calm and comported even in terrifying circumstances that normally scare public servants to succumb to pressures and challenges and, consequently, chicken out of capacity and desired performance.
If Prof Zulum convinces himself that he has to square up to any tall challenge on his way to console and comfort his dear vulnerable Bornoans in the remotest of communities, execution of any project or implementation of any policy, he is ever ready to take the hard way, if it is the only way, as the film maker would say.
He dares challenges on his way of discharging his duties and responsibilities, in the manner, not of Don Quixote fighting the wind mill, but of youthful David felling the towering Goliath of Gath with a sling.
Yes! With his uncommon spirit, he fells challenges on his way of discharging his constitutional duties and responsibilities to his people and state as would, David facing Goliath.
Moved by the spirit to deliver unprecedented service to his state, he displays the uncommon capacity to contain and control emerging tragedies while managing and assuaging existing ones.
He showcased this capacity recently when an epochal flood that deluged about a half of the Maiduguri metropolis, September 10, 2024, affected over one million people, displaced over 101, 330 households and destroying properties worth billions of Naira according to flood disaster relief committee.
While containing and mitigating the all-encompassing impact of the massive calamity to console, comfort, rehabilitate and resettle the affected population, Zulum still continues his normal all-year-round trotting around the state to minister to its different sections in the implementation of the reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement, de-radicalization, reintegration and repositioning policies and programmes of the state for rapid post-insurgency, post-flood recovery and prosperity.
As we usher in 2025, more landmark projects, resettlement of communities, livelihood intervention, sustainable growth and development will continue to take center stage of Zulum’s administration.
And so, Zulum is zulumifying governance in Borno State.
Dauda Iliya is the Special Adviser Media/Spokesperson to the Executive Governor of Borno State.
Zulumification Of Borno Governance
Three Nigerian Nationals in Saudi Arabia Detention for Alleged Drug Trafficking Released
By: Michael Mike
Three Nigerians arrested and prosecuted for drug trafficking on 5th March 2024 in Saudi Arabia has been released after spending 10 months in detention.
The trio are Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah and Fatima Kannai Gamboi and were at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport Madinah, Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking.
Announcing their release in a statement on Sunday, the acting spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that three Nigerian nationals, Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah and Fatima Kannai Gamboi, arrested and prosecuted for drug trafficking on 5th March 2024 at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport Madinah, Saudi Arabia, has been released after spending 10 months in detention.
“The arrest of the three women was a result of the earlier arrest of two Nigerian nationals who were found in possession of 80 capsules of cocaine weighing 900.28 grammes and 70 capsules of cocaine weighing 789.5 grammes, respectively. The women were detained by the Saudi authorities on suspicion of being accomplices and abating the trafficking of the banned substance found on the aforementioned arrested Nigerians.”
The spokesperson added that: “The Ministry wishes to recall that the trio’s arrest attracted much attention in the Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. Their successful release was achieved after prolonged diplomatic and legal engagements, which culminated in their discharge and acquittal, as well as subsequent handover to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Jedda.
“The ladies were received by Ambassador Muazam Nayaya, the Honourable Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah and currently awaiting relevant immigration processes for their return to Nigeria to reunite with their families.”
Three Nigerian Nationals in Saudi Arabia Detention for Alleged Drug Trafficking Released
Wanted drug kingpin, Nollywood filmmaker arrested over huge illicit drug shipments
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have arrested a wanted drug kingpin and Lagos socialite, 61-year-old Alhaja Aishat Ajoke Elediye on new year day in her mansion at Okota area of Lagos following the interception of a truckload of illicit drug consignment from her staff same day.
Alhaji Ajoke known in the drug underworld and social circle as “Iya Ruka”, has her true identity shrouded in mystery for years while she remained on the wanted list of NDLEA for leading one of the drug cartels operating from Mushin area of Lagos. The lid was however blown off her invincibility last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a white Izuzu truck carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilogrammes of imported cannabis and driven by one of her staff, 41-year-old Abideen Adio.
The operatives subsequently stormed her hideout at 33 Adebayo Oyewole street, off Ago Palace way, Okota, where she was arrested.
According to the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, on the surface, Alhaja Ajoke is a businesswoman who imports fabrics and shoes from China but beneath is a massive illicit drug trade. She is also recognized as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of society women in Lagos.
Babafemi said in another major operation, NDLEA officers on Friday 27th December 2024 arrested a US-trained Hollywood and Nollywood filmmaker, Emeka Mbadiwe, who is also a motivational speaker at his Lekki Hotel room following the arrest of his partner, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu, earlier same day at a warehouse in Ajao estate Ikeja, where he was sent by Mbadiwe to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 17.3 kilogrammes, which arrived the Import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on 24th December 2024 from the United States on a Delta Airline flight, concealed in large wooden boxes.
In Kwara state, a fresh graduate Khadijat Abdulraheem, 24, and a 20-year-old student of the University of Ilorin, Ayomide Morakinyo were on Sunday 29th December 2024 arrested by NDLEA operatives at Tanke-University of Ilorin road, Oke Odo, Ilorin based on credible intelligence that they were producing and selling drug laced cupcakes to students in the community. When their apartment was searched, 42 pieces of drugged cakes were recovered from them.
Babafemi also said an ex-convict, Sodade Eniola, who was arrested by operatives of the Tincan Command of NDLEA in June, 2024, for drug trafficking, prosecuted and sentenced to four years in prison has been arrested again by officers of the MMIA Strategic Command of the agency for passport racketeering. Earlier, when he was convicted by a Federal High Court in Lagos on 14th June 2024, the trial judge gave him an option of paying N750,000 fine, which he paid and was let go.
The spokesman said however, in series of operations in December 2024, NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted no fewer than 52 passports of different countries from shipments going to Canada, Russia, and other countries concealed in shoe soles and food items. Further investigations led to the arrest of four members of three syndicates involved in the racket.
The arrested suspects include: Sodade Eniola; Ayinde Awwal; Salaudeen Ayode; and Sheriff Bamigbade. Both the exhibits and the suspects were last Monday handed over to the Zonal Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Lagos for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Babafemi said not less than 316, 800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers by NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne Rivers state during a joint examination of the shipments with men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies last Tuesday. He disclosed that the seizure followed credible intelligence processed by the Port Harcourt Port Command of the agency.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives last Tuesday 31st December 2024 raided Mafarki, Dan Dishe area of Dala LG where they recovered 149,090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a local dealer, 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad.
Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
Meanwhile while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, PHPC and Kwara Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
Wanted drug kingpin, Nollywood filmmaker arrested over huge illicit drug shipments
Again, NAF Airstrikes Suyanized Boko Haram Terrorists, Destroy Vehicles in Mandara Mountains
By: Zagazola Makama
On January 2, 2025, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) launched a precision airstrike targeting a suspected terrorist logistics hub in Wulade, nestled in the Mandara Mountains.
The operation, which struck an area believed to serve as a marketplace for exchanging logistics among terrorists, resulted in the suyanisation of several insurgents and the destruction of their vehicles.
Intelligence told Zagazola Makama that the airstrike followed credible intelligence indicating that the location was being used for strategic meetings and the coordination of terrorist activities.
“The strike was executed with pinpoint accuracy, taking out a significant number of terrorists and disrupting their logistics network,” the source stated.
Wulade, situated within the rugged terrain of the Mandara Mountains, has long been a challenging area for counter insurgency operations due to its difficult topography. However, advancements in aerial surveillance and precision targeting have bolstered the military’s capacity to identify and neutralize threats in such areas.
Again, NAF Airstrikes Suyanized Boko Haram Terrorists, Destroy Vehicles in Mandara Mountains
Bandits Impose ₦172.7 Million Levy on 25 Villages in Tsafe West, Zamfara
Three Nigerian Nationals in Saudi Arabia Detention for Alleged Drug Trafficking Released
Wanted drug kingpin, Nollywood filmmaker arrested over huge illicit drug shipments
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