Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has approved N50,000 financial assistance for every soldier scheduled for deployment to Maiwa and Koshebe communities as part of efforts to improve security and encourage the return of residents.
Zulum announced the gesture on Friday during a visit to the headquarters of the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa Local Government Area, where he held a meeting with the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Aminu Gumel.
The governor said the visit was aimed at identifying ways to strengthen security along the Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa-Ngala highway, a major route for transportation, farming, trade and cross-border commercial activities in eastern Borno.
He stressed that securing the road would enable residents to travel without fear, move farm produce to markets and restore their economic activities after years of insurgency.
Speaking to troops preparing for deployment to Maiwa and Koshebe, Zulum assured them of his administration’s continued support, including the provision of operational equipment and welfare assistance.
He said the N50,000 payment to each soldier was part of measures to boost their morale and support their operations in the vulnerable communities.
The intervention comes amid renewed efforts to restore security and normalcy in areas that have suffered repeated attacks by Boko Haram insurgents.
Koshebe remains one of the communities associated with some of the deadliest attacks on farmers in Borno State. On November 28, 2020, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked rice farmers harvesting their crops in the community, near Zabarmari in Mafa Local Government Area.
The attackers reportedly tied up and killed several farm workers, many of whom were seasonal labourers from Sokoto State and other parts of the country. At least 43 victims were buried following the incident, while others were initially reported missing.
Three years later, in November 2023, suspected insurgents launched another attack on rice farmers around Karkut and Koshebe, killing at least 13 people, with several others reported missing.
The repeated attacks have continued to threaten farming activities in the area, particularly during harvest periods when farmers work in isolated locations.
Zulum’s latest move is expected to strengthen military operations and create a safer environment for displaced residents to return home and resume farming and other businesses.
The Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa-Ngala highway is a major economic route connecting several communities in Borno and supporting the movement of agricultural produce, essential goods and cross-border trade.
The governor has consistently advocated increased military presence in vulnerable areas, maintaining that improved security must be accompanied by reconstruction, rehabilitation and the resettlement of displaced communities.
He was accompanied on the visit by the member representing Monguno, Nganzai and Marte Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bukar Talba; the member representing Dikwa Constituency in the Borno State House of Assembly, Mohammed Zakariya; and the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar.
Other members of the delegation included the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, and other senior government officials.
