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Zulum: A Beacon Of Hope To Borno’s Less Privileged People

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Zulum: A Beacon Of Hope To Borno’s Less Privileged People

By Gbenga Akingbule 

Born without a silver spoon and  struggled through hardwork, perseverance  and unwavering desire to succeed,  Borno State Governor,  Prof Babagana Zulum has since become a household name especially amongst the less privileged persons in the state .

Prof. Zulum is always quick  to share stories  about his  humble beginning amongst the high and mighty,  a gesture observers view as rare display of humility amongst Nigeria’s political elite 

Upon assumption of office  in 2019 , Prof Zulum has consistently associated himself with the less privileged,-  his former constituency where he got first hand experience of the difficult economic hardship bedeveling many Nigerian less privileged people.  

Driven by compassion and his  gennue concern to assist the common people, Prof Zulum had on different occasion while on  visit to the hinterland,  ordered for the immediate halting of his motorcade just to  assist locals walking long distance by giving them a ride on his convoy and also give them cash support.  

Pfrof Zulum passion to liberate his people from the shackles of poverty and education backwardness has led to rise in budgetary provisions and fund releases for the education sector and key ministries that are aimed at empowering the common people.  

For the 2024 buget,  the Ministry of Education was  allocated  the sum of N39 billion to carry out its activities- this effort , amongst others , has removed over one million out- of – school children off the streets of Borno and returned them to the classrooms where their future are being positively shaped to become responsible and productive members of the society.  

”  Out of 1.8 million out -of- school children in 2021, we have taken measures to reduce the number to less that 800. We’re still working assiduously bring down the number ”  Commissioner of Education,  Science , Technology  and Innovation,  Engineer  Lawan Abba Wakilbe said 

No doubt,  the more than a decade long  insurgency in Borno  State had led many children and their parents to flee trouble areas,  thereby obstructing their education where massive destruction to education facilities across the state was evident .

At  a recent function during a public  lecture  held at University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID ) which form part activities to mark the exit of the former Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof . Aliyu Shugaba  after completing  his 5 year tenure,  Prof Zulum didn’t mince words when he charged the sea of erudite scholars  present at  the occasion, majority of whom are indigens of Borno State to think outside the box and collaborate to use education as tool for liberating the people of the state .

Zulum was quick to trip down memory lane and revealed how he battled through pletoral of obstacles in his unquenchable quest to gain quality education that has since transformed his life to become a professor of  Soil  and Water Engineer and currently serving his second term as governor of Borno state. 

” coming from my background,  I know how I  suffered , where we do not have competent teachers to teach us in our primary and secondary school.  I never thought I would be a professor,  because both of my parents were not educated,  nobody ever told me to do my assignment while in primary school,  I was on my own.” Zulun said . 

It was therefore not surprising when Governor Zulum recently released the sum of N4.8 Billion as scholarship award to 524  postgraduate  students  from the state , including orphans and less privileged persons.  

 The  scholarship  award according to the governor is meant for  foriegn and local postgraduate students in Science, Technology,  Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM) 

In his usual humanitarian and compassion towards the the less privileged irrespective of ethnicity,  tribe or religion governor Zulum during an early morning visit to a school in Maiduguri,  the state capital gifted a woman form the South East part of the country- a teacher in the  school with the sum of N100, 000 cash for always  showing up eally to her duty post . 

Also , recently,  during a visit to launch grains given to the state by Federal Government , Prof Zulum, shortly after the occasion went towards the direction of the local guard guarding the premises and immediately ordered that the sum of N500 000 be given to him – an amount that is more that his 12 month salary.

The 80 year Chadian  local guard who had lived in Nigeria for over four decades and has over 20 Children was stunned by the governor’s gesture and said the money will go a long way in ameliorating his financial challenges.  

Furthermore, 63 year old Cecelia Joseph, a widow and mother of six children who  was part of the one hundred thousand households that benefited from massive food support scheme carried out by the Borno State Governor.

The aim of the food  support according to Goverenor Zulum is to ameliorate economic hardship being experienced by many vulnerable families across state  including the likes of Cecilia whose husband, a commercial taxi driver was gruesomely murdered by suspected Boko Haram Terrorists over ten years ago. 

Since the demise of her husband,  Cecilia  who had continue to feed from hand to mouth  with her six children revealed that Governor Zulum is the first to have reached out to her with any form of assistance- the food support , she said ” will assist me and my six children immensely ” 

Prof Zulum had ordered that the food support should  be given to all vulnerable residents irrespective of  tribe , religion and political affiliations hence paving the way for Cecilia who hails from far away  Osun State, a devoted Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) member as well as other beneficiaries who are not indigens of the state .

” I’m so grateful to Governor Zulum for wiping away my tears with this food support. But I would appreciate more support from the governor and other well meaning citizens  for the education on my children.  ”  Cecelia  who currently lives in a rented accommodation on the outskirts of Maiduguri , the state capital said .

Governor Zulum had revealed during one of the many food distribution in  the state that  ” We have never distinguish between Christians and Muslims in our food distribution.  What we’re doing is not partisan either , it’s not based on ethnicity or religion ; we advised the community to select one hundred thousand most valuable and bottom poor and this will go a long way in ameliorating the suffering of the masses ” 

While warehouses were being looted acros the country during  the # EndSARS protests,  residents of Borno  state were full of gratitude to Governor Zulum for always coming to their aid with his unprecedented distribution of food ,  cash and clothing to assist the less privileged.  

Following the release of N2 Billion intervention by the President Bola Tinubu  led Federal governmen to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy  removal Prof.  Zulum had announced raising the number of households being targeted for palliatives from 300,000 to 400,000 households. 

Each household according to the Governor,  will be made up of six family members and  multiplied by 400,000 which, by implication, moves Zulum’s new target to two million and four hundred thousand  individuals. 

“Governor Zulum has continued to stand in the gap for many of the less privileged people in Borno state ”  Umar Ali, one of those that recently benefited from the food support scheme established by the governor.

Zulum: A Beacon Of Hope To Borno’s Less Privileged People

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NESREA Shuts Kano Rice Plant Over Environmental Violations

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NESREA Shuts Kano Rice Plant Over Environmental Violations

By: Michael Mike

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed off a rice processing facility in Kano State, Fortune Rice Mills Limited, over alleged violations of environmental regulations relating to air pollution and offensive emissions.

The enforcement action, carried out on Monday, was led by the agency’s North-West Zonal Director, Dr. Mudashiru Raheem, following investigations into public complaints against the company.

According to NESREA, residents had raised concerns over persistent dust emissions and offensive odour emanating from the facility despite earlier compliance notices issued to the company.

The agency said investigations established that the rice mill violated provisions of the National Environmental (Air Quality Control) Regulations 2014 as well as the National Environmental (Food, Beverages and Tobacco Sector) Regulations 2023, prompting the sealing of the plant.

Director-General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Innocent Barikor, who authorised the shutdown, condemned what he described as the “reckless attitude” of some industrial facilities towards public health and environmental safety.

Barikor stressed that economic interests must not come at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing and environmental sustainability, warning that the agency would continue to enforce compliance with environmental laws across the country.

“The health of citizens and the environment must not be sacrificed on the altar of economic gain,” he said.

He also called on Nigerians to take greater responsibility for environmental protection by reporting environmental infractions and pollution incidents to the agency for prompt action.

The latest enforcement underscores renewed regulatory scrutiny on industrial operators amid growing concerns over environmental pollution and public health risks in several parts of the country.

NESREA Shuts Kano Rice Plant Over Environmental Violations

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Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner in Taraba Over Alleged Sale of 23 Rifles

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Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner in Taraba Over Alleged Sale of 23 Rifles

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected gunrunner in Taraba State over the alleged sale of 23 AK-47 rifles to a rogue vigilante leader.

Security sources said the suspect was apprehended at about 3:30 a.m. on May 17, 2026, during a joint intelligence-led operation conducted by troops of the 20 Model Battalion and operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency.

According to the sources, the operatives raided the suspect’s residence at Sabon Gida village in Gassol Local Government Area of the state following actionable intelligence.

The sources disclosed that preliminary findings linked the suspect to the supply of 23 AK-47 rifles to a suspected rogue vigilante commander operating within the area.

The suspect has since been taken into custody by the Defence Intelligence Agency for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Security authorities said efforts were ongoing to uncover the wider arms trafficking network connected to the suspect.

Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner in Taraba Over Alleged Sale of 23 Rifles

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The High Cost of Silence: Why President Tinubu Must Sign the Federal Audit Service Bill

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The High Cost of Silence: Why President Tinubu Must Sign the Federal Audit Service Bill

By Paul Dasimeokuma

Nigeria currently manages a staggering ₦68.32 trillion budget through an audit framework that is effectively a colonial relic.

The Audit Ordinance of 1956, which remains the primary reference for federal audit reports, technically ceased to be part of Nigerian law in 1990 and is conspicuously absent from the 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN).

This creates a legal lacuna, a dangerous, silent void where the nation’s financial watchdog is forced to bark using the authority of an obsolete law that has no place in a modern republic. As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu navigates the Renewed Hope agenda, the Federal Audit Service Bill, already passed by the National Assembly, represents a low-hanging fruit for structural reform that can no longer be ignored.

The current auditing function in Nigeria has devolved into a frustrating exercise in report writing without consequence. Under the present system, the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF) produces an annual report, which is then sent to the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of the National Assembly.

The PACs conduct hearings, invite heads of agencies, and eventually produce their own recommendations. Yet, despite this high-level activity, the cycle of financial felonies and misdemeanors continues unabated.

Evidence shows that audit recommendations are treated with levity by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and follow-ups are virtually non-existent despite clear Financial Regulations.

The result is a culture of impunity where the same infractions: unvouched expenditures, missing assets, and unremitted revenues—appear in reports decade after decade.

This Bill is the structural answer to this stagnation. It seeks to move Nigeria from a limited, department-based audit model to a modern Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) structure, consistent with global best practices. By transforming the office into a Service, the Bill ensures that auditing is a core pillar of national economic security.

The Bill provides for the establishment of an autonomous Federal Audit Service and a Federal Audit Board. This Board will fundamentally strengthen the independence of the AuGF, particularly concerning recruitment, promotion, and discipline.

Currently, the AuGF relies on the Federal Civil Service Commission for staffing, which often leads to a mismatch in specialised skills. An independent Board ensures the office is shielded from political interference and staffed by professionals answering only to the standards of their craft.

For the first time, the Bill explicitly empowers the AuGF with the power of the purse and the power of sanction. It authorises the AuGF to surcharge public officers for expenditures not duly brought into account and, more importantly, to withhold the emoluments of any person who refuses to reply to audit queries within 30 days. This closes the long-standing accountability gap where audit findings were merely advisory.

In the past, an MDA could simply ignore a query with no personal consequence. Under the new Bill, silence carries a direct financial penalty, providing the legal teeth necessary to compel compliance with financial discipline.
Beyond internal accountability, the Bill is a crucial signal to the international community.

Nigeria was successfully removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025, a hard-won victory for the nation’s financial reputation. However, this victory must be protected. The FATF framework explicitly monitors audit oversight of public funds as part of its financial integrity assessments. Maintaining a 70-year-old framework that technically does not exist in our current laws risks signaling to global monitors that Nigeria’s anti-corruption reforms are superficial.

Similarly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its June 2025 Article IV Consultation, called for strong expenditure management and transparent reporting. Assenting to this Bill is an act of economic diplomacy. It tells the World Bank and foreign investors that Nigeria is serious about the transparent implementation of its record-breaking budget.

It aligns the country with the Lima Declaration, which mandates that Supreme Audit Institutions must have the functional independence necessary to perform duties without executive overreach.

The reform window is rapidly closing. With the 2027 election cycle approaching, administrative bandwidth for such structural changes will contract. Transitioning from the 1956 framework and constituting the Federal Audit Board requires significant lead time.

Assent in 2026 gives this implementation a fighting chance to take root. President Tinubu has frequently spoken about the need for courage in governance. Signing the Federal Audit Service Bill is an act of such courage. Nigeria cannot build a 21st-century economy on 1950s paperwork. The time for the Audit Act is now.

Paul Dasimeokuma – Centre for Social Justice

The High Cost of Silence: Why President Tinubu Must Sign the Federal Audit Service Bill

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