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Southern Borno and Zulum’s Inclusivity Galore

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Southern Borno and Zulum’s Inclusivity Galore

By Dauda Iliya

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s recent working trip to the Southern Borno Senatorial Zone opened more vistas into his passion for inclusivity in the conduct of governance; and his commitment to justice and fairness in the equitable distribution of infrastructural development and services across the state.

A public or political office holder’s passion and commitment to serving an entity are normally weighed on the scale of what, in principle and practice, is the social contract binding him and the entity he serves, on the sacred ideals of justice and fairness to all sections of the entity.

Given the monumental destruction of development infrastructures and services by insecurity over the last fifteen years, reconstructing Borno State from the rubbles that littered its vast physical and economic landscapes has always required inclusivity in the distribution of development infrastructures and services for the speedy and sustainable reconstruction of the state in all facets.

Over the last five years since his ascension to the governorship saddle, Zulum was lavishly reported to have executed over one thousand meaningful and durable reconstruction and economic revitalization projects equitably distributed across the three Senatorial zones of the state.

He was apparently spurred to do so by his passion for inclusivity in the conduct of governance on the ideals of administrative and political justice and fairness to all.

Always on his heels, trotting around the state, performing the groundbreaking for development projects, supervising or commissioning completed and equipped such projects across the three senatorial zones of the state, Prof Zulum seeks to equitably satisfy and earn the reverence of every zone as a just and fair governor.

It was, therefore, in sustenance of this tradition that he undertook his latest round of such working trips to the Southern Borno Senatorial Zone.

Governor Zulum commissioned the state-of-the-art eye and dental hospitals and a mega secondary school in Biu Local Government Area of the Southern Borno Senatorial Zone.

The 40-bed capacity eye hospital, equipped with advanced diagnostic and surgical facilities, is to address the growing need for ophthalmological care in the zone.

To ensure the hospital achieves its purpose, Zulum instantly approved the appointment of a team of highly trained medical doctors and specialists who will offer treatments for cataracts, glaucoma and other vision-related ailments.

The 30-bed capacity dental hospital is to provide comprehensive oral health services, including preventive care, orthodontics and restorative treatments, ensuring that residents no longer have to travel long distances for dental care.

While commissioning the two health facilities, Zulum underscored his administration’s commitment to improving the quality healthcare for Borno’s citizens.

His words: “Healthcare is one of the cardinal pillars of the Borno State’s 25-Year Development Plan and the 10-Year Strategic Transformation Initiative. Reflecting on this commitment, we allocated 15 percent of the state’s budget to health sector in the 2024 and 2025 fiscal year in line with the Abuja declaration recommendation for healthcare financing to prioritize health and well-being of our people.”

Governor Zulum, while inaugurating the two healthcare facilities, announced the release of funds for the construction of 5 general hospitals across the state, one each in Askira Uba, Magumeri, Gubio, Mafa and Dikwa local government areas.

He reiterated his commitment to addressing the manpower needs in the healthcare centres in order to provide optimal healthcare to the people of Borno.

He said: “We recognize that the development of a resilient healthcare system necessitates more than just physical infrastructure. The availability of skilled healthcare professionals is equally crucial.

“To address this shortage of manpower, we are launching a multidimensional initiative, incorporating a range of measures to attract, train, retain, develop skilled healthcare professionals and talents and collaboration with educational institutions among others.”

The governor also commissioned a mega secondary school at Miringa, in Biu local government area designed to accommodate over 1,300 students. The school consists of 60 classrooms, an ICT centre and four laboratories among other facilities that enhance teaching and learning activities.

He distributed text and exercise books, uniforms, school sandals and a bicycle for each of the enrolled students to ease movement from the nearby villages.

Over decades, Southern Borno has been reputed for its monumental quantum of agriculture production.

Governor Zulum, therefore, explored the possibility of enabling the zone to maintain and elevate that enviable status, in keeping with Nigeria’s unfolding economic diversification policies and programmes from the oil to the agricultural sectors.

He, consequently, with what sounded like a loud bang, announced his administration’s resolve to resuscitate the 40 years old Biu Dam to Boost irrigation farming in the zone and tackle the perennial water scarcity bedeviling Biu and the neighbouring local governments.

Zulum announced the resolve during his traditional homage to the Emir of Biu, Mai Mustapha Umar Mustapha II, at his palace in Biu, as part of his two-day working trip to the zone.

He underscored the critical importance his administration places on irrigation farming as part of its efforts to enhance food security and provide sustainable livelihoods for victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

He told the royal farher: “Your Highness, I want to assure you that we will revitalize the Biu Dam to bolster irrigation farming in your emirate. Agriculture is one of the cardinal pillars of my administration and we will continue to invest in the sector to ensure food security in the state.”

In a dramatic move to bolster the local economy and upscale small, mini, and micro enterprises, the governor disbursed N1 billion to 9,403 MSMEs in Biu and Hawul LGAs. Over the past five years, Zulum has launched similar initiatives aimed at tackling poverty head-on and revitalising the battered economy of Borno.

The breakdown revealed that N560.3 million was distributed to 5,603 entrepreneurs, with each receiving N100,000. Additionally, N439.7 million was allocated to 1,800 youths and vulnerable households in Biu, along with a further 2,000 entrepreneurs from Hawul.

Consequently, Zulum during the visit also laid the foundation for the construction of 600 two-bedroom semi-detached houses for teachers and health professionals in five different locations. They are 100 houses each in Biu, Magumeri, Hawul, Gubio and 200 at Borno State Teaching Hospital.

In the spirit of inclusivity, administrative and political justice and fairness in spreading equitable development across the three senatorial zones of the state, Governor Zulum promised to roll out many more development projects in Southern Borno before the end of his tenure in 2027.

Professor Babagana Umara Zulum’s recent working trip to Southern Borno Senatorial Zone was an enviable showcase of a governor’s passion for the principle and practice of Inclusivity in equitable service delivery to the three zones of the state.

It was a showcase of Inclusivity Galore.

Dauda Iliya is the Special Adviser Media/Spokesperson to the Executive Governor of Borno State.

Southern Borno and Zulum’s Inclusivity Galore

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RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

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RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

“Don’t Allow Shame or Stigma Affect Your Confidence” – Senator Oluremi Tinubu to School Girls at the Launch of Flow With Confidence Program in Maiduguri, Borno State

By: Our Reporter

The Flow With Confidence program, a vital menstrual health intervention, is designed to empower schoolgirls with knowledge, build confidence, and promote improved menstrual hygiene. The initiative targets 370,000 beneficiaries, mostly from rural communities who struggle to access hygienic care while in school.

Launched simultaneously in seven states – Borno, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kebbi, and Lagos – by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the program provides each beneficiary with a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads.

At the official launch in Maiduguri, the First Lady was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima. She stressed that it is unacceptable for young girls to face significant challenges during their menstrual cycle, often forcing them to miss school days because they cannot afford sanitary pads.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu noted that many girls resort to unhygienic alternatives, hence the introduction of Flow With Confidence as a safe, hygienic option to enhance reproductive wellbeing. Each state under the initiative will have 10,000 beneficiaries.

Encouraging the girls, the First Lady urged them not to allow shame or stigma to affect their confidence but to boldly pursue their dreams as future leaders of the nation. She further called on corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals to support the program, while charging traditional, religious, and community leaders to ensure transparent distribution in their localities.

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, expressed the government’s profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose leadership continues to rekindle hope and restore dignity to countless families by prioritizing economic empowerment as a driver of national development.

The Governor also commended the First Lady for addressing an often-neglected aspect of girls’ and women’s dignity and reproductive health.

Similarly, the Borno State RHI Coordinator and Wife of the Governor, Dr. Falmata Umara Zulum, lauded the First Lady’s commitment to caring for the most vulnerable in society through her numerous interventions under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), complementing the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Meanwhile, the First Lady also handed over assorted food items to the Borno State RHI Coordinator, Dr. Falmata Babagana Zulum, for onward distribution to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities. This places Borno among the beneficiaries of the monthly RHI Food Outreach Scheme, flagged off in March 2024 with support from two leading industrialists.

RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

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Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

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Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

…Insists Absence of Appellate Court at Regional Level Undermines Access to Justice

By: Michael Mike

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi has called for the establishment of an appellate mechanism within the ECOWAS Court of Justice, stating that the absence of such mechanism continued to undermine access to justice in the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025/2026 legal year of ECOWAS Court, Fagbemi said while the finality of judgments is crucial, fairness also demands that decisions be open to review in order to correct possible errors of law or procedure.

Fagbemi while noting that the absence of appellate court at the regional level is a letdown, said: “It is concerning that there is currently inadequate room for appeal against the judgments of the ECOWAS Court. While finality is important, justice must also be seen to be fair and revisable,” insisting that: “The absence of a separate appellate mechanism limits access to justice. As we expand the Court’s reach, we must also ensure that its decisions are subject to the same standards of review and accountability that underpin robust judicial systems.”

He urged the Court to draw lessons from other regional judicial institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights, the East African Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which, according to him, offer valuable models of transparency, judicial independence and procedural innovation.

He however restated Nigeria’s support for the ECOWAS Court as host country, describing it as central to regional integration, human rights enforcement and stability. “Nigeria remains steadfast in its support for the ECOWAS Court of Justice… I pledge to continue advocating for legal reforms that align domestic laws with regional obligations while respecting our constitutional order and national interests,” Fagbemi added.

Also speaking, the President of Cabo Verde, José Neves, said community justice remains vital for Africa’s credibility in global affairs. He stressed that strengthening institutions such as the ECOWAS Court was essential for peace, democracy and integration on the continent.

He said: “In a continent still marked by border disputes and recurring tensions, the existence of an independent and respected community tribunal is a civilisational triumph that we must preserve and enhance,” Neves said. He noted that access to the Court by individual citizens was one of the most significant gains of regional integration, as it brings justice closer to the people.

Neves also called for reforms within African sub-regional bodies to make them more effective in addressing contemporary challenges such as insecurity, institutional fragility, migration and climate change.

In his address, the President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Ricardo Goncalves, disclosed that the Court handled 34 new cases in the past year, including matters relating to civil and political rights, economic freedoms, and disputes between member states.

He also revealed that the Court held 79 judicial sessions and issued 54 rulings, many of which reaffirmed key principles such as the justiciability of socio-economic rights and the supremacy of community law over conflicting national legislation. According to him, 112 cases are currently pending before the Court.

Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

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Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

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Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum on Wednesday, undertook a working visit to Diffa Region of Niger Republic on Wednesday.

The visit, which included a high-level security and economic delegation, focused on strengthening the existing collaboration between Nigerian and Nigerien forces in the ongoing fight against insurgency, particularly around the shores of Lake Chad.

Diffa is a community 17 km from Damasak town in northern Borno where thousands of Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram insurgency are currently taking refuge.

Zulum was received by the Governor of Diffa, Brigadier General Mahamaduo Ibrahim Bagadoma, and other senior officials. The leaders held closed-door meetings centered on joint patrols, intelligence sharing, and sustaining the recent gains that have pushed insurgents out of many of their former strongholds.

Zulum outlined plan to leverage the improved security situation to facilitate the return of thousands of displaced farmers to the vast and fertile agricultural lands around Dutchi town within the Lake Chad basin.

Part of the Governor’s entourage are Engr Bukar Talba, a member of the House of Representatives, Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and otheir senior government officials.
[10/2, 6:35 PM] Mike Olugbode: Maiduguri: For Over a Month, MSF Responds to High Numbers of Children Suffering from Malnutrition.

Since late August and early September, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have scaled up their medical response in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, following a sharp rise in malnutrition cases that overwhelmed MSF-supported facilities. Although admissions have slightly decreased now, the number of children receiving treatment remains very high.

“A month ago, we witnessed a worrying increase in admissions, compounded by a surge in measles cases,” said MSF Project Coordinator Daniela Batista. “Our isolation units for measles patients were quickly filled, and even the additional space we opened reached capacity. Now, those units remain around 70 percent full.”

Since 8 September, MSF’s Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at Nilefa Kiji Hospital (NKH) has nearly doubled its bed capacity to accommodate the influx of malnourished children. By the third week of September, the emergency facility was recording an average of more than 85 new admissions daily.
In a context of reduced global humanitarian funding, some organizations in Maiduguri reduced their support for – or even left – nutritional outpatient nutrition programmes, causing a significant drop in access for first line care fir malnourished children.
 
At MSF’s extension facility in Shuwari, teams treated 3,265 children for malnutrition and referred 1,521 others for continued care between August and early September, when the upsurge began. More than 625 malnourished children have also been treated for measles — a disease which can contribute to malnutrition and whose complications can result from malnutrition.
 
The situation is further exacerbated by shortages of essential supplies. Therapeutic milk — critical for treating severe acute malnutrition — is in short supply, while access to ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) remains a chronic concern. Some partner ITFCs have indicated they can only accept referrals if MSF provides additional medical supplies such as antibiotics, admission kits, and therapeutic milk.
MSF teams also reported regular admissions of patients from Zabarmari — a community they are currently unable to access due to security and logistical challenges. MSF is engaging with the Borno State Ministry of Health to assess and potentially support the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) to ensure residents can access care.

Borno State continues to face the effects of a decade-long insurgency, with recent reports of violence in areas surrounding Maiduguri.

This surge in Maiduguri mirrors an alarming trend seen in all MSF nutrition facilities across Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi in recent months. According to UN estimates, 2.5 million children across northeast Nigeria are at risk of acute malnutrition.

MSF called on health authorities and humanitarian organizations to urgently address the shortages in medical supplies and staffing, and to strengthen community-level health systems to prevent further deterioration.

Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

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