Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has re-opened the Bama/Banki road, nine years after its closure over Boko Haram insurgency. The 65-kilometre border road to Cameroon; was closed by the Nigerian Army because of the incessant attacks that claimed many lives and property. While reopening the road yesterday; near Bama, the Governor warned immigration and other security personnel manning the border road to desist from extorting motorists and commuters at the various checkpoints. “Any immigration personnel that wants to collect money should relocate to the border checkpoint in Banki,” he said, warning that no such collection of money from motorists and commuter be tolerated by the state government.
He also commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari through the Chief of Defense Staff, General Luck Irabor and the Theatre Commander, Maj-Gen. Christopher Musa for restoring peace to stabilize the state and northeast. Zulum however; gave a matching order to the military to arrest anybody that engages in smuggling of petroleum products and other goods. He also directed the soldiers to check motorists and cyclists that divert the main road into Sambisa Forest to deliver food items to terrorists.
According to him, such perpetrators be arrested and treated as Boko Haram members and collaborators. He noted that the re-opening of the road, was the commitment of the President, military and other security agencies. He also pledged his support to the Theatre Commander of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’, troops of 151 and 152 Battalion in protecting the border road to Cameroon. Zulum added that the re-opening of border road will open more opportunities for the people of Bama council and border communities.
He said that no development could take place without any economic activities in the liberated communities. On farmers’ access to farmlands, he said: “There was an appeal to the Army to allow farmers have access to their farms, and from the look of things, quite a number of our farmers would have a bumper harvest this year,” noting that the support of displaced persons by the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) is no longer sustainable. In his brief remarks, Musa thanked Zulum for supporting the Army in the fight against terrorism, pledging that he will do his best to end insurgency in the state. He said the reopening of roads and resettlement of IDPs by the present administration signifies the end of insurgency in the region.
