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Zulum advocates technology in fighting terrorism

Zulum to

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum

The Federal Government should look into the possibility of deploying technology to protect public and physical infrastructure to stem destruction by insurgents and vandals, the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said on Thursday.

He also said that the state would join forces with the Federal Government to leverage on the ongoing surrender of Boko Haram insurgents to restore peace in the North-East.

Zulum spoke during a town hall meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State to address vandalism of power and telecommunications infrastructure.

He said, “After the first destruction of the power lines, we mobilised resources to effect necessary repairs both at the Federal and state level. After spending millions of naira, the excitement was short lived as the insurgents, 24 hours later, destroyed the repaired lines along with other facilities which subjected the people to despair and hopelessness.”

“Since it is virtually impossible to provide protection to power lines in the state or any other part of the country, it has become a matter of technological imperative for the Federal Government to look into the possibility of deploying technology to protect physical infrastructure.

“Our citizens should also be sensitised so that they will have moral obligation to protect all government infrastructure in their domain, in view of the huge investment the Federal Government is making in the rehabilitation of neglected infrastructure and construction of new ones. The  task should not be left for the federal government alone, it is a collective responsibility.”

He said the residents had been subjected to live in total darkness since January when the telecoms and power facilities were brought down by Boko Haram insurgents.

“The scourge of vandalisation of power and communications infrastructure in the country is unacceptable. Power and communications infrastructure play a critical role in development process and is invaluably central in the achievement of a sustainable growth and development in the country.”

The governor described the ongoing surrender of Boko Haram as a welcome development.

He said, “Two months ago, we took a decision that will ensure that we leverage on the process. So far, thousands of them have surrendered. We have been receiving tremendous support from Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police others at ensuring the success of this process.”

Zulum also appealed to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to upgrade the proposed Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line from single to standard gauge for optimal benefit to the people. Loans: Our

‘Our critics insincere’

Meanwhile, at the meeting, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Thursday descended on critics of its frequent request for fresh loans, describing them as insincere.

He said the critics were previous administrations who “performed abysmally in terms of modernising our infrastructure, even when they served at a time when our earnings were multiples of what we get today.”

He said government was not borrowing for recurrent expenditure or to pay salaries but to build world class infrastructure that would benefit generations of Nigerians.

He said, “For example, we were told that it would cost the Federal Government N3.8bn to repair just four bridges that were damaged by vandals and petrol-laden tankers. That’s a huge amount that could have been used to build new infrastructure.

“Naysayers have recently ramped up their criticism of the Buhari administration for borrowing. These critics are insincere. We are not borrowing for recurrent expenditure or to pay salaries. We are borrowing to build world class infrastructure that will benefit generations of Nigerians. And we have a lot to show for the loans we have taken.

“It is an irony that those who are criticising us today performed abysmally in terms of modernising our infrastructure, even when they served at a time when our earnings were multiples of what we get today. Had they embarked on the kind of infrastructure development we are currently engaged in, perhaps there would have been no reason for us to borrow as much as we are doing now.”

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