Zulum, Buratai strategise to end terrorism in Borno

NEDC to take over reconstruction of bridges in Adamawa
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum on Monday visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, at Nigerian Army’s Headquarters, Abuja, to strategise on how to end terrorism in the state.

The visit, according to the governor, was to privately discuss most of the “salient issues and challenges” on the ongoing fight against Boko Haram in the state.

While commending the army for its commitment and sacrifice in counter-insurgency operations, he said: “The security measures and sacrifices are to provide lasting peace in affected communities in the North East.”

He, therefore, called on the army to “sustain its momentum” by taking the fight to Boko Haram enclaves in Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad region.

“There should be increased synergy between the military and civilian communities affected by decade-long insurgency,” he said, noting that the synergy could eliminate the trust deficit to enhance generation and sharing of information.

Buratai, on his part, responded: “Zulum’s commitments to the fight against Boko Haram are legendary and something everyone is proud of.”

He described Zulum as a dynamic governor that had been supporting the military to end terrorism.

Disturbed by the slow pace of work on the three major bridges destroyed in Adamawa State by Boko Haram in 2014, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) is planning to take over the project from the Federal Ministry of Works for speedy completion of the reconstruction of the bridges linking Nigeria with Cameroon and the eastern region.

Managing Director of NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, while inspecting the destroyed bridges yesterday in Michika, in company of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, expressed disappointment over the abandonment of the project by contractors.

He said that failure of the three bridges in Michika and Madagali councils affected the economic activities of the people in northern Adamawa, pointing out that his commission would get in touch with the federal ministry and take over the project.

Alkali, who said he was in Adamawa on the invitation of Governor Fintiri, added that part of the responsibility of the commission was to reconstruct public and private buildings in the North East.

Blaming the slow pace of work and abandonment of the project on poor funding, Fintiri expressed disappointment over the allocation of N200 million to the project in this year’s budget, a project valued at over N15 billion.

The governor, who was visibly angry over the delays in the completion of the three bridges, appealed to NEDC to intervene by taking over the project to ensure speedy reconstruction of the bridges he described as the lifeline of the people from northern Adamawa.