Zulum and his entourage in Marte
Gov. Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno, on Sunday visited Garade, a community in Marte Local Government Area where he provided livelihood support to the returnees who are trying to pick up their lives once again.
A statement by the Governor’s spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, said the first batch of the displaced persons were indigenes of Marte who returned from Dikwa, Monguno and Maiduguri on the 30th of November 2020.
“2,870 returnees from 500 households constitute the first batch of citizens to take shelter from the rehabilitated Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) quarters, after a request to the Managing Director by Governor Zulum during his earlier visit.
“Each of the household heads received a bag of rice and one bag of maize grit.
“The residents, most of whom returned recently and largely farmers that have not engaged in farming activities could not meet their livelihood needs.
“Zulum also discussed modalities for providing support to enhance dry season farming activities in order to strengthen livelihood capabilities of the returnees,” Gusau said.
He also said that while in Marte, the Governor took time to visit a makeshift market established by the returnees where he assured them of his administration’s support to boost their economic activities.
According to Gusau, the Governor further held closed door meeting with the military commanders on issues concerning security of the returnees.
The Governor had earlier addressed thousands of returnees where he charged them to cooperate with security operatives by providing credible information about unlawful activities and movements of suspicious persons.
Marte Local Government was one of the Boko Haram insurgents strong hold liberated by the Nigerian military and the Multinational Joint Taskforce.
The Governor’s delegation to Marte comprised Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, the Chief of Staff, Prof. Isa Hussaini Marte and Commissioner of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Mustafa Gubio and his counterpart of the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugum Mai Mele.
