Posted by Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, claimed that security had increased and that the elections in 2023 could proceed without difficulty.
Shortly after his Friday meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, he gave the stability percentage as 90%.
The governor had the chance to update President Buhari on the state’s IDPs’ rehabilitation and resettlement efforts during their meeting.
“There is no place without some level of security challenge; Borno State government had received support from the federal government and the military, and we have been able to make much progress at returning the state to its former peaceful state,” Zulum said in conversation with reporters covering the State House ruling.
Zulum commented on the upcoming general elections by saying: “Borno State residents cast ballots in the 2015 elections. In the 2019 elections, they also cast ballots. Can you compare the state of security in 2019 to that of 2011? We can proudly proclaim that Borno’s security has increased by more than 90%. Therefore, we are problem-free.
Insha Allah, Borno State has no security issues, so eligible voters can cast their ballots on the designated election day, he continued.
The governor stated that all official IDP camps within the Maiduguri metropolis had been dismantled or shut down permanently and that all unofficial ones will follow suit in a few months. This was in reference to the resettlement of IDPs, namely restoring them to their original homes.
“Resettlement is not something that can be done quickly; it will take a lot of time. However, the most crucial thing is that those who most desperately need to be resettled will be. The most crucial thing, though, is that, as I stated a year ago, we have shut down every official IDP camp in the Jere Local Government Area and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
“As of right now, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council does not have any official IDP camps. The unofficial camps will also be closed in the next few months,” he said.
On claims that some parts of the state are still under the control of insurgents, he said: “Even in the developed world we still have some pockets of insecurity, but by and large, we have succeeded a lot. Over 90% of our security station has been improved.”
He added: “We on our own have noticed improvement in terms of security in our State. In Borno State, we are doing very well now. Our rehabilitation and resettlement are also going very well. We are looking forward to see how we can rehabilitate Maiduguri-Gomboru/Ngala Road and then Maiduguri-Banki Road, with a view to opening up opportunities for the people to earn their means of livelihood.”
Commenting on his re-election bid, and his chances of clinching a second term Zulum said “it is impossible to question the destiny of God.”