Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has stated the state misplaced electrical energy distribution wires value billions of naira to metallic scavengers, together with supplies used for a power line venture valued at over ₦3 billion.
Zulum stated the loss was among the many safety and infrastructure considerations that compelled his administration to ban scrap metallic buying and selling in the state.
The governor disclosed this over the weekend whereas assembly with scrap metallic sellers, whom he urged to submit proposals on how they may proceed their companies with out threatening safety or damaging public infrastructure.
He defined that the ban was not meant to deprive merchants of their technique of livelihood however to guard public property and tackle safety dangers linked to their actions.
“We spent more than ₦3 billion to connect an electricity distribution line from Damaturu to Maiduguri, but unfortunately, we lost all the wires to metal scavenging activities,” Zulum stated.
He added that the actions had additionally uncovered scavengers to hazard, notably in communities the place safety situations remained unsafe for civilian actions.
“Before the ban, hundreds of your members were killed while scavenging for metals in villages that were not yet safe for civilian activities,” he stated.
The governor additional alleged that safety intelligence indicated that insurgents had been utilizing scrap metallic buying and selling channels to promote stolen supplies.
He stated safety intelligence indicated that insurgents had been utilizing scrap metallic sellers to promote looted supplies, including that his administration couldn’t ignore such threats for political causes.
Zulum careworn that his administration had no private curiosity in stopping the companies.
He added that the choice was taken in the curiosity of public security and the safety of state infrastructure.
He stated he was involved concerning the affect of the restriction on merchants and didn’t need anybody to lose their livelihood unnecessarily.
“We have allowed genuine operators to evacuate the scrap metal they collected before the ban from designated locations to reduce the impact of the restriction on their businesses,” Zulum stated.
