Insurgency: Borno 90% safe for elections – Zulum

Governor Babagana Zulum has said Borno State is 90 per cent secure and safe ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He said this Friday after a courtesy visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governor assured the voting public of their safety before, during and after the elections.

The November 22 attack on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign train in Maiduguri, the state capital, has raised security alert about possible violence ahead of the polls.

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Asked what he was doing to assure those not bothered to collect their PVCs because of fear that insecurity might not enable them to use it during the election, he said: “The people of Borno State voted during the 2015 election. They also voted during the 2019 election. Can you compare the security situation in 2019 and 2015 and now? The security situation has improved tremendously by over 90 percent, so we don’t have any problem.

“Eligible voters can go and cast their votes on election day, Inshallah, in Borno State, we don’t have any problem.“

Zulum, while reacting to a question on the current state of security in his state, said: “We thank that there is great improvement in terms of security in Borno State.”

“We are doing very well now, rehabilitation and resettlement is also going very well. We are looking forward to see how we can rehabilitate Maiduguri, Gamborun-Gala road and then Maiduguri-Banke road with a view to opening up opportunities for the people to earn their means of livelihood,” he added.

On the expectations in the new year, the governor said: “I want to see how we can sustain what we are doing. So far so good in terms of security, the federal government has done well, the military has also done very well. We are now looking into the possibility of rehabilitating the victims of the insurgency, a lot of them have surrendered.

“The federal government is supporting our mission of rehabilitating. But most importantly, we are yet to complete our resettlement project and very soon, we will resettle victims of Gudubali Local Government Area and also we will resettle all our refugees that are living Republic of Niger and Chad and Cameroon. Mr. President has given approval to this effect and very soon, we will complete the entire settlement.”

On when the resettlement process would be completed, he said: “Resettlement is not something that is easy, it will take a long time. But the most important thing is that those that are very much in need to be resettled will be resettled. But most importantly, we have closed down all official IDPs camps within Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Gere Local

“Government Area, as I said, last one year ago. For now, we don’t have any official IDP camps within Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, the unofficial camps will also be closed in the next few months.”

When asked to confirm or deny reports that there were some areas in the state where insurgents were still holding sway, Zulum said: “Even in the developed world, we still have some pockets of insecurity. But by and large, we have succeeded a lot. Over 90 per cent of our security situation has been improved.”

Asked how he was prepared in his re-election bid against an opposition in the state, he said: “It is impossible to question the destiny of God. Campaign is going on very well, Borno State is one big APC family.”