President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, that the Federal Government will intensify efforts to secure the release of children abducted by terrorists in Askira-Uba Local Government Area and other affected communities in the state.
Zulum disclosed this on Friday after meeting Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he briefed the President on the security situation in Borno, recent terrorist attacks and ongoing efforts to resettle communities displaced by insurgency.
The governor said he specifically raised concerns over the abduction of children in Lassa, Mussa and neighbouring communities in Askira-Uba, stressing the need for stronger security and intelligence operations in vulnerable areas.
According to him, Tinubu responded positively and assured him that the Nigerian Army, State Security Service and Office of the National Security Adviser would intensify efforts to rescue the abducted children and strengthen security in affected communities.
Zulum said the security situation in Borno had improved considerably over the past six months, allowing the state government to accelerate the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities.
“Borno State, in terms of security, we are getting better. For the last six months, things have started taking a very good shape,” he said.
The governor disclosed that more than two million displaced residents had been resettled over the past seven years, while efforts were continuing to secure and reopen communities abandoned because of insurgent attacks.
Among the communities being considered for resettlement is Kareto, located along the Gubio-Damasak highway.
Zulum described Kareto as strategically important because of its location along the roughly 100-kilometre corridor between Gubio and Damasak, which has remained vulnerable to attacks.
He said the Chief of Army Staff had approved measures to strengthen security in the area, including the establishment of a military formation to improve surveillance, protect travellers and enable displaced residents to return home.
According to him, a permanent military presence in Kareto would considerably improve security along the route and support the resettlement programme.
Zulum also disclosed plans to reopen the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu road, which has remained largely inaccessible because of insecurity.
He lamented that residents travelling between Maiduguri and Biu are currently forced to cover between 600 and 700 kilometres through alternative routes, including neighbouring Gombe State, instead of using the approximately 200-kilometre direct road.
The governor said about 1,000 forest guards were being trained for deployment along the corridor to complement military operations and improve security.
He expressed optimism that the guards would be deployed by November or December, creating conditions for the reopening of the road.
Plans are also underway to restore Sabon Gari community as part of broader efforts to secure abandoned settlements and encourage displaced residents to return.
Beyond security and resettlement, Zulum disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited had indicated its readiness to resume oil exploration activities in Borno State and other parts of the North-East.
According to him, the Frontier Exploration Services division of NNPCL had formally communicated with the affected state governments over plans to restart exploration activities suspended for between one and two years because of logistical and security challenges.
“We have received information from the frontier exploration division of the NNPCL that they will very soon come and resume oil exploration in northeastern states, especially Borno State,” Zulum said.
The governor expressed confidence that the expected resumption of oil exploration, combined with improving security, reconstruction and resettlement programmes, would strengthen Borno’s recovery from years of insurgency.
He maintained that the immediate priority remained the rescue of abducted residents, particularly the children taken from communities in Askira-Uba, while expanding security operations to prevent further attacks and enable more displaced families to return home.
.. “We Will Soon Reopen The Maiduguri–Damboa–Biu Road” — Zulum Announces 1,000 Forest Guards As Tinubu Steps Up Borno Security Operations … NewsNGR.
