Zulum Pays Sympathy Visit to Victims of Ngoshe Attack, Assures Rescue of Abducted Residents

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has commiserated with the people of Ngoshe affected by the recent Boko Haram attack, describing the incident as tragic.

Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza local government, was attacked on Tuesday evening, scores were killed, while others were abducted.

Addressing members of the community on Friday in Pulka, Governor Zulum said he personally came to sympathize with the affected people and families of those that lost their loved ones.

He assured that efforts are underway to rescue all those abducted, restore security, and provide humanitarian support to victims.

“We are here today to commiserate with the people of Ngoshe that have lost their loved ones following the unfortunate incident that occurred on Tuesday. The situation is very sad and our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy,” Zulum said.

“I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to address the unfortunate situation that has befallen this community, and for those who have been abducted, the Nigerian military will do everything within its capacity to rescue them,” Zulum assured.

Governor Zulum explained that military operations are currently ongoing in Ngoshe and the Sambisa Forest to rid the area of criminal elements.

“There are ongoing military operations within the Sambisa Game Reserve. What we witnessed yesterday was largely a result of insurgents being pushed out from their strongholds, which led them to launch coordinated attacks on nearby communities,” he explained.

He called on the Nigerian Army to intensify operations to clear insurgents from the Mandara Hills which he described as a major security threat.

“The Mandara Hills remain a major security concern. The insurgents descended from the hills to attack this town. Therefore, I call on the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government to intensify efforts to clear Mandara Hills of insurgents,” Zulum said.

The governor noted that the exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed as assessments are still ongoing, but acknowledged that several lives were lost while others were abducted.

As part of immediate humanitarian intervention, the governor said the state government had begun distributing relief materials and establishing cooking points to provide food for displaced residents.

“For now, we will distribute food items to those affected and I have directed that cooking points be established so that everyone in this community can receive meals from a central kitchen,” he said.

The governor appealed to residents to remain calm and law-abiding, noting that Borno State government will double its efforts to end this madness. “We shall not relent in our commitment to restoring lasting peace and stability in the state,” he said.

“I strongly believe that with sustained military operations and cooperation between all levels of government, we will overcome this challenge. Insha Allah, peace will return fully to our land,” the governor added.

Similarly, Governor Babagana Zulum inspected houses burned during an attack by Boko Haram insurgents on Thursday in Konduga town.

Zulum Pays Sympathy Visit to Victims of Ngoshe Attack, Assures Rescue of Abducted Residents

Iranian Official Defends Retaliatory Strikes, Warns Middle East Conflict Could Escalate

By: Michael Mike

Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja has defended recent military actions taken by Iran against United States facilities in the Middle East, describing them as acts of self-defence following what he alleged was an assassination of Iran’s supreme leadership by Israel with support from the United States.

Speaking during a press briefing with international journalists, the official said protests by Muslims around the world over the reported killing of Iran’s spiritual leader were expected because of the leader’s influence across both Shia and Sunni communities.

According to him, demonstrations were recorded in several countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, as well as parts of Europe and Africa.

Iran Targets U.S. Military Bases

The official said Iran’s military actions were directed at American military bases in the region and not at civilian infrastructure.

“We attacked United States military bases in the region because those bases were used to support aggression against our country,” he said.

He clarified that reports suggesting civilian airports were targeted may have been mistaken, insisting the intended targets were strictly American military facilities.

Iran had earlier informed neighbouring countries in the Persian Gulf that any retaliatory strikes would focus only on U.S. installations within their territories and not on their cities.

“This is an act of defence. We are not targeting neighbouring countries but the American facilities being used against us,” he said.

Retaliation Against Israel

The official also defended Iran’s attacks against Israel, saying they were justified responses to what he described as Israel’s attempt to assassinate Iran’s leadership.

He accused Israel and the United States of pursuing a broader strategy aimed at destabilising the Middle East.

According to him, conflicts in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq are part of that wider strategy.

Warning of Wider Regional Conflict

He warned that continued escalation could trigger a broader regional conflict with significant consequences for the global economy.

The official noted that the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly 20 percent of global energy supplies pass, could be affected by the crisis.

“This conflict will affect global energy markets. Transportation costs and oil prices will rise because the Persian Gulf may not remain secure,” he said.

Diplomatic Talks Suspended

The Iranian representative also said Tehran was not currently considering diplomatic negotiations, claiming that diplomacy had been undermined by recent attacks.

“We were negotiating, but diplomacy was killed when the attacks happened,” he said.

“For now, our focus is on defending our sovereignty and national security.”

Relations with Nigeria Remain Strong

Addressing questions about Nigerian citizens in Iran, the official assured that they remain safe and secure.

He also described relations between Iran and Nigeria as cordial and longstanding.

“Our relations with Nigeria go back more than 55 years, and they remain strong across sectors such as agriculture, energy, education and trade,” he said.

Criticism of International Institutions

The official criticised the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, for what he described as silence over the crisis.

He argued that global institutions had failed to respond adequately to what he called acts of aggression.

“Iran Does Not Seek War”

Despite the tensions, the official insisted that Iran does not seek war and has not initiated attacks against other countries for more than two centuries.

However, he emphasised that Iran would continue to defend itself if its sovereignty is threatened.

“We are not a country seeking war, but we will defend ourselves in any way necessary,” he said.

Iranian Official Defends Retaliatory Strikes, Warns Middle East Conflict Could Escalate

Send Your Kids To Acquire Technical Education Now……Zulum

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Borno Governor Professor Babagana Zulum has called on residents to send their wards into the technical vocational and education training (TVET) centre for them to acquire skills for livelihood.

He regretted that there are about nine vocational enterprise institutes/ centres in Borno state but young people are not responding to the opportunities that abound in these training centres the way he felt they should embrace it.

The Governor who attended the graduation ceremony of 2,970 trainees Tuesday at the vocational enterprise institute Muna in the outskirts of Maiduguri said he hardly shed tears over anything but the way the young people dismiss the opportunities offered by these centres sometimes make him to tear up.

Speaking in Hausa to the locals present, he went on ” Look I established centres like this one here, in Mafa and all over the state but sadly the young ones are painfully snubbing these places which is there to change their lives and teach them how to fish.

” I hardly shed tears easily but each time I watch our young ones who need these opportunities snubbing what we brought for them to benefit, I feel bad indeed. It makes me feel like shedding tears.

” This is why I am begging you to please hurry up and ensure you enroll your children to grab this opportunity which is lined up for them now that it lasts.”

He assured the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Bugaje that Borno will continue to lead in the TVET centre module of training for as long as there are out of school kids and orphans littering the metropolis and the countryside.

He assured the NBTE boss that Borno is not yet done with his agency adding that he will surely find a way to sit down and work something out that would be beneficial to the state on the long term basis.

Zulum posited that a situation in which a serious business man like Dangote will have to bring in as many as 11,000 technicians from India to boast production in his refinery when young Nigerians would have taken such position is sad.

The Governor warned parents that they have only five years left to think about the offers in the centres and enroll their kids so that they too will become beneficiaries of the goodies offered by the system.

At the end of the speech making session, Gov Zulum, awarded 100,000 naira each to the 2,970 beneficiaries who completed their intensive vocational training across the state.

Zulum equally distributed starter packs and business kits valued at ₦2,050,000,000 to the graduates, aimed at equipping them to establish their own enterprises to become self-employed almost immediately.

The beneficiaries were drawn from the nine vocational training institutes located across Borno State offering skills in fields such as information technology, plumbing, construction, tailoring, welding and various artisan trades.

Governor Zulum, while addressing the gathering, reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting young people, particularly those affected by over 10 years of insurgency in the state.

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, one of the cardinal priorities of this administration has been youth empowerment and the protection of vulnerable members of our society. We remain mindful of the devastating effects of insurgency on our communities, which disrupted livelihoods, increased unemployment and exposed many young people to uncertainty and hardship.

“It became imperative for the government to implement sustainable interventions aimed at restoring dignity, creating opportunities and rebuilding productive capacity among our people.

“It is with great honour and a deep sense of fulfilment that I address this distinguished gathering on the occasion of the graduation and presentation of starter packs to 2,970 trainees drawn from nine vocational enterprises institutes and centres across Borno State.

“In addition, we reactivated nine vocational training centres and three second chance skills entrepreneurship schools dedicated to women and girls.” Said Zulum.

The Governor said that the institutes prioritises the enrolment of vulnerable individuals, particularly those affected by insurgency and provide structured training in diverse vocational and technical trades to enhance employability and economic independence.

Prof Zulum revealed that, his administration had invested over ₦40 billion in the establishment, rehabilitation, and equipping of vocational enterprises institutes, vocational training centres and technical colleges across Borno State since he was sworn into office.

According to Zulum, this strategic investment is aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school youths, promoting self-reliance and developing a skilled workforce capable of contributing meaningfully to both the state and national economy through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Commissioner for Education, Lawan Wakilbe, explained Zulum’s vocational training concept, which he noted is a direct product of the visionary leadership and unwavering commitment of the Governor whose administration recognises the urgent need to empower youths with practical, employable and entrepreneurial skills.

The initiative he stressed is equally part of the Governor’s broader agenda to promote self-reliance, restore dignity, rebuild livelihoods, particularly among conflict-affected youths, women and vulnerable members of the society.

Send Your Kids To Acquire Technical Education Now……Zulum