Suspected Repentant B’Haram Insurgents Burn NDLEA, NCS Checkpoints In Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

A group of suspected repentant Boko Haram insurgents, on Wednesday May 1, 2024 stormed the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigeria Customs Service checkpoints at Kasuwan Fara, a suburb of Maiduguri metropolis, chasing away the personnel on duty and setting ablaze all structures at the checkpoints.

The incident, according to investigation by Zagazola Makama, followed a fierce encounter between the suspected ex Boko Haram combatants and the police at the Kasuwan Fara Divisional Police Office.

The suspected repentant insurgents, reportedly wearing military uniform, had pounced on the police office to forcefully set free their eight colleagues arrested at the suburb over criminal activities bordering on dealing in hard drugs.

The arrest was made on April 24 during a raid carried out by the police on the notorious spot at the criminals-ridden Kasuwan Fara.

Due to the rise and persistence of criminal activities and sinister operations by drug peddlers comprising dismissed military personnel, repentant insurgents and other hoodlums, who assemble there to conduct nefarious activities, the area had since been earmarked for closure by Borno State Government.

The April 24 raid, where the eight suspected repentant insurgents were arrested and 426 bottles of spirits such as dry gin confiscated, was conducted to sanitize the area, pending the final closure.

The arrested persons were detained at the Kasuwan Fara police division since the day of their arrest.

Subsequently, at about 7:40 am of Thursday, May 2, a dozen of the suspected repentant insurgents in military uniform, stormed the Kasuwan Fara police station in an attempt to rescue their arrested fellows.

The Divisional Police Officer alongside his men were able to repel the attack while the perpetrators fled.

Consequently, the assailants, in an apparent transfer of aggression, reverted to attacking NDLEA and NCS personnel checkpoint along the Maiduguri-Gubio road Kasuwan Fara, where they burnt down the checkpoints alongside the sandbags heaped on the road and fled the scene.

Borno Police Command spokesman, ASP Kenneth Daso, who confirmed the incident, said investigations are ongoing to apprehend the attackers, and the arrested eight suspects have been transferred to Anti-Crack Squad Div HQ for further action.

Suspected Repentant B’Haram Insurgents Burn NDLEA, NCS Checkpoints In Borno

Yobe to launch massive agriculture intervention 

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe state government would soon launch a massive agricultural intervention to encourage people to participate actively in agricultural production for sustainable means of livelihood.

Governor Mai Mala Buni disclosed this today while flag-offing the distribution of the federal government Strategic Grains Reserve Palliative Program in Damaturu.

He said the program captures the weak, old, people living with disabilities, orphans, widows, and other vulnerable persons in the state.

According to him, this would provide succor and make life easy for this group in the face of the global economic hardship in which Nigeria and Yobe State are not exceptions.

He assured that the government will continue to ensure fair and equitable distribution of the grains to people with genuine needs.

He pointed out that the government has constituted a committee, including the security agencies, to monitor and apprehend officials and beneficiaries who divert the grains.

Governor Buni warned officials entrusted with the transportation and distribution of the palliative that the government would deal with any one or group that engages in diversion of the materials to sabotage government efforts.

“It is gratifying that the federal government, under the able leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is complementing the efforts of the state government through the Strategic Grains Reserve program with 21,000 bags of assorted grains made up of maize, millet, and sorghum for distribution to individuals across the state.

Yobe to launch massive agriculture intervention 

USAID: Zulum passionate on livelihood of Borno citizens

… Gov says we would focus more on medium, long term solutions to our problems

By: Our Reporter

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has commended Borno State Governor, Banagana Umara Zulum, for his passion for enhancing the livelihood of Borno citizens.

The Mission Director of USAID, Melisa Jones, made the commendation in Maiduguri on Wednesday while speaking to journalists at the Government House.

She said, “The governor (Zulum) is very passionate about ensuring the livelihood and well-being of his citizens. That is what we as USAID would continue to do.”

She added, “Our partnership is with this government, and our partnership would be strengthened by this visit and by the leadership of this Governor (Zulum). We are very appreciative of his thinking, thought leadership and direction and we will continue with this partnership.”

Earlier the USAID Mission Director to Nigeria, Melisa Jones, held a meeting with the governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, which was concluded behind closed doors.

… Gov says we would focus more on medium, long term solutions to our problems

Meanwhile, Governor Babagana Unara Zulum said that Borno State Government would shift its focus from a short-term humanitarian solution to a medium and long-term development-driven approach.

Zulum made this known on Wednesday when he received the Mission Director of USAID, Melisa Jones, at his office in Maiduguri.

The governor said, “We are not objecting to the continuous provision of humanitarian support, but gradually, we want to shift our focus to the medium and longer-term sustainable solution.

He added, “However, we still need humanitarian support; all the concerns of the humanitarian partners will be addressed, and we shall work to see how areas in need continue to receive humanitarian support from our partners.”

The governor also extended gratitude to the government of the United States of America and the US International Development Agency (USAID) for their support to the government of Borno State.

“I convey our deep appreciation to the government of the United States, particularly USAID, for all the support they have been rendering to the government of Borno, the people of Borno State and indeed the entire northeast,” Zulum said.

USAID: Zulum passionate on livelihood of Borno citizens