Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has disclosed that the state government has allocated 259 houses and released N110 million to the Nigeria Police Force in the state.
The governor made the announcement Thursday in Maiduguri during the commissioning of the Borno branch of the Nigeria Police Force Microfinance Bank (NPFM Bank) attended by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali.
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The microfinance bank is designed to provide financial services to aid small and medium enterprises for police families, their affiliates and civilians in the state.
Zulum explained that the allocation of 259 houses to the police was meant to compensate the state command for the government’s use of some portions of land belonging to the police for the development of some infrastructural facilities in the state capital.
On the N110 million, the governor said 50% of the amount, which is N55m, was the state government’s contribution as share deposit aimed at enhancing the bank’s operations at the take-off stage.
The balance of N55m, Zulum further explained, was to be used in supporting families of police personnel in two ways; first, Zulum said, was to share N25 million to families of police personnel who died in active service.
The governor ordered that the money be deposited in an account dedicated to the educational needs of children left behind by the fallen police personnel.
The balance of N30 million, the governor said, will be deposited in a credit services account for the purpose of supporting policewomen serving across the state.
Zulum commended IGP Alkali for unveiling the Borno branch of the bank, which, he said, indicated the IGP’s prioritisation of police welfare.
The governor, alongside the IGP, the bank’s board members and some top police officers, commissioned the branch with a symbolic cutting of the tape.
In his remarks, IGP Alkali described Governor Zulum’s support for the Nigeria Police Force as enormous.
“Your Excellency, we want to thank you for the logistics the state command is getting to function effectively in crime prevention and control. I am aware that the only state that got six armoured personnel carriers and handed them over to the police is Borno State.
“We want to sincerely thank you for taking our trouble, for being kind to us, for being generous to us, for coming to our assistance in terms of providing welfare and working tools,” the IGP said.
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