The report, among other recommendations, called for the merger of the new Army varsity with the decades-old NDA, Kaduna.

“We are all aware that Boko Haram’s primary mission is to truncate western education,” Zulum told newsmen in Maiduguri, on Thursday, February 29, observing, “Collapsing the Army University as a Faculty within the NDA is like helping the insurgents to achieve their objectives.”

He said, “I want to appeal to President Tinubu to rescind the decision to merge the Army University, Biu, with the Nigerian Defence Academy.”

Zulum argued, “Borno State has been facing a serious crisis for the last 15 years and as a result of this, many of our children could not have access to education,” pleading, “Therefore, this University is crucial to the people of Borno State and the entire North-East.”

The governor stressed, “I am appealing to Mr. President to look into this issue so that the Army University, Biu, will remain autonomous,” continuing, “If this cannot be possible, we still want to appeal to the President to allow the Federal Ministry of Education to take it over to become a conventional university.”

Zulum appealed, “If possible, the Federal Government should allow it to function as an Army University, considering the importance of education in this part of the country.”

He admitted, “In all fairness to the Federal Government, this decision to implement the Oronsaye Report is long overdue and timely, especially now that the government is working to reposition the economy and block leakages.”

The governor maintained, “That notwithstanding, we the people of Borno and the Northeast, are appealing to the Federal Government to reconsider the decision to merge the Army University with the NDA.”

He said Borno State now needs education more than ever before and the Army University is vital in achieving that.

After twelve years of receiving the Stephen Oronsaye Report, the Federal Government finally approved the implementation of some of its recommendations on Monday to cut down on the cost of governance.

The report also recommended that the Air Force Institute of Technology become a faculty in the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Governor Babagana Zulum presided over the ceremony held at Ramat Square in Maiduguri.

He said the event was made possible by the return of relative peace in the state.

Zulum, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Usman Kadafur, lauded the military and other security agencies for the uncommon successes recorded in various operations against the insurgents.

The governor said that the successes in the terror campaign enabled the state government to close all displaced persons’ camps in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas.

He explained that most of the displaced persons voluntarily returned to their towns and villages.

The governor said the task before the government was to rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed during the 12 years of insurgency.

“We renew our commitment to confronting the challenges of critical infrastructure destroyed by the decade-long Boko Haram insurgency.

“And explore avenues to create job opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths, thereby, minimizing the upsurge of social vices in the society. “We remain confident that with the massive investments we have made in the last three years in the expansion and strengthening of our resettlement and recovery effort, we shall succeed in our commitment to provide the dividends of democracy,” he added.

He pledged to provide vital services to the people, to enhance livelihoods and economic growth in communities.

“On a sustainable basis in the attainment of our policy thrust, we have a duty to improve on job creation, access to education, healthcare delivery services, security, potable water supply for both human and animal consumptions, among others.

“We can do these only in a climate of peace and security,” Zulum said.

He enjoined the citizenry to remain united, live peacefully and shun all tendencies capable of plunging the nation into chaos and anarchy as the 2023 general elections approached.

A detachment of police personnel conducted the parade while another medals parade was held to honour officers and men of Operation Hadin Kai involved in the fight against insurgency.

The terrorists have attacked the village countless times within the past five months, according to a Chibok resident.

The attack, according to the villager, started around 6 o’clock pm and it got all the villagers deserting for safety in the nearby Sambisa forest where the terrorists camped.

“The attack started at 6:20 pm this evening (Tuesday). They came on their motorcycles and started to shoot randomly from all angles.

The villagers ran to the bush for safety but the bush is Sambisa forest and that is where the Boko Haram insurgents are living. That village has been attacked more than ten times this year alone,” Adamson, a handicapped from Chibok said

“There is no other village around there except the Sambisa forest and the people living there have never left their homes despite the attacks.According to what I was told by my source who is presently hiding in the bush, the terrorists shot one man dead in his car and then set the car ablaze with the dead body inside the vehicle. They also killed two others while also burning down several houses. But we cannot determine the level of damage or destruction now until in the morning when they are all back in their villages,” Adamson said.

The attack occurred almost the same time as the UN Secretary-General was visiting Borno State for an on-the-spot assessment of the level of damage done by the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno.

The UN Chief who visited Gubio camp immediately when he arrived in Maiduguri told Zulum that he was happy with the condition he met the IDPs and pledged to offer all necessary assistance to ensure the safe return of IDPs to their ancestral homes in line with the state government’s resettlement plan.

“I saw people that have suffered smiling and hoping for the best. I saw ex-terrorists trying to integrate into society and I discovered that here in Borno we will not solve the problem if we do not solve the root cause of the problems.

“But I see here in Borno a governor who is determined to establish confidence and trust between the population and government. When the population does not trust the government, they follow terrorists. When the population sees the government cannot do anything for them, they follow terrorists. But here I see a government that is not only thinking about impressing the population but thinking about the future.

“I see that what they really want is not food but the condition to really go back home in dignity and safety,” he said.

A delegation of leaders and loyalists from Biu/Bayo/Kwaya Kusar/Shani Federal Constituency in Borno, led by a former Deputy Governor of Borno State, Adamu Shettima Yuguda, on Thursday bought nomination and declaration of interest forms of the APC for Betara to seek re-election to the House in the 2023 general elections.

Addressing journalists after obtaining the form at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Yuguda noted that Betara’s constituents contributed the money to purchase the form for the lawmaker.

He said, “I am part of the delegation that has come to pick forms for our own representative that is in the Holy Land now (Saudi Arabia) for Ummrah. As his community and constituents, we are here to pick the forms for him. We are a delegation of millions of people.

We want him back because of his history and antecedents. He has done a lot and our people, beginning from N20 up to N10m, contributed money. He is not even aware that we are here today. We have come here to pick up the forms on his behalf.

This is just picking the forms. The grand finale for the presentation to him would be done at our Local Government Area. The community sent us; the community contributed from N10 up to N10m. We had the money, we paid and we have picked up the forms now. Our people want him back.”

Another leader in the delegation, Mustapha Mohammed, said, “I think he was the right to aspire to any position in this country. So, we are in support of his attaining the position of speakership in the National Assembly because he has the experience and the capacity, and he has demonstrated it. His colleagues can testify to that and we are fully behind him to attempt any position of authority in this country.”

The local government, state executives, and delegates of the state for the forthcoming convention were sworn in by the Branch Chairman, Maiduguri chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, Muhammad Umaru Esq.

The oath-taking which took place at the conference Hall of the party Secretariat in Maiduguri was attended by the chief of staff to the Borno State Governor Prof Isa Marte, the party chairman, Ali Dalori, and other members of the state executive council as well as some local government chairmen.

Speaking shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, Chairman of the party Ali Dalori who doubles as the Chairman, forum of APC Chairmen said Borno State has yet to adopt any chairmanship aspirant among the three contenders.

“As the Chairman of APC forum of Chairmen, I can assure you that the party is working towards a successful convention and we have all agreed as leaders of the party in our various States that whatever president Buhari says is what we shall do. If the president anoints any of the three aspirants, that is the person we will endorse. Dalori noted.

He went further to state that Borno has gotten the endorsement of the other eighteen northern states to produce the deputy national chairman North of the party ahead of other contenders. We in Borno have the mandate of all the nineteen northern states to produce the deputy national chairman North of the party although there are other aspirants from other States. Ali Dalori added. The state working committee inaugurated includes three zonal women leaders representing Borno central, north, and Borno south as well as zonal youth leaders of the three senatorial zones.

He gave the assurance during his visit, alongside Senator Kashim Shettima, to the border town of Gamboru in Ngala Local Government Area, where they undertook humanitarian responses, from Sunday to Tuesday.

This was contained in a statement by his spokesman, Isa Gusau, on Tuesday, titled, ‘Two days in Gamboru: Zulum, Shettima share food, cash to 60,803 returnees’.

The governor who visited the General Hospital in Ngala town, and a primary healthcare centre in Gamboru town, after coordinating humanitarian responses, appreciated the health workers for their sacrifice and selflessness.

While interacting with medical doctors, Zulum announced that he will approve salaries that will match International NGOs payment plans attracting doctors to operate in Ngala.

Earlier, Zulum and Shettimah supervised the distribution of food and non-food items to a combined number of 60,813 internally displaced persons in camps and those resettled in communities.

Zulum and Shettima traveled with the Member of House of Representatives representing Ngala, Bama, Kala-Balge Federal Constituency, Dr. Zainab Gimba, Commissioners for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (RRR), Engr. Mustapha Gubio, Agriculture, Engr. Bukar Talba, and Poverty Alleviation, Nuhu Clark, a number of humanitarian workers, officials, and some APC chieftains.

They were received on arrival by some key stakeholders of Ngala LGA comprising the member of the State Assembly representing Ngala, Bukar Mustapha Dalhatu, Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Abacha Umar Ngala, Special Adviser, AbdulRahman AbdulKarim, and Special Adviser on Events and Hospitality, Bintu Sheriff.

Zulum also assured Nigerians that the 12-year Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast will be over before the 2023 general elections.  The governor revealed these to State House Correspondents on Thursday shortly after a meeting with President Buhari at the State House.

He said, “The ongoing, massive defection of Boko Haram members, this time around, has also started with a defection of ISWAP members. This is a welcome development. As of now we, have received nothing less than 30,000 from beginning to date for both Boko Haram and ISWAP. ISWAP, we have started receiving them in few numbers, but Boko Haram, we have started receiving them in huge numbers. The way we are going, with the support of the federal government with good management, Boko Haram will be over very soon. The most important thing is that the federal government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Buhari, the Borno State Government, the military, we’re all working in close collaboration to ensure that those that are willing to surrender are given the opportunity to surrender. We don’t give any promissory notes to defectors, honestly speaking. As I’ve been saying before, the kinetic measures alone will never end the insurgency. The social and political dimension of this crisis is very important. So we have decided to engage them through dialogue and mediation, to ensure that many of them lay their arms. But you also have to understand one essential thing; there is a difference between those that have been captured and those that have surrendered. People should understand these two unidentical situations. Go back and Google and see the international conventions, rules and regulations. There is a difference between those that have been captured and those that have willingly surrendered,”

Chibok became famous after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram at a boarding secondary school in 2014.

The governor who paid a condolence visit to the town on Monday was told by residents that four persons were killed in the latest attack by Boko Haram, with 110 buildings razed.

A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the governor, Isa Gusau said his principal “was in Chibok town on Monday following a recent attack on three communities: Kawtakare, Korohuma and Pemi in the LGA.The Governor met families of 22 women and two men abducted by Boko Haram/ISWAP during the attack,” the statement further revealed.

He said during the visit, Zulum invited relatives from the three affected communities made up of men and women and hosted them at the Government lodge in Chibok town

Gusau said, “Insurgents had recently attacked Kawtakare on January 21, 2022, Pemi on January 14 after the previous one on Korohuma on December 30, 2021.”

The spokesman quoted the governor to have said, “We are here in Chibok to commiserate with you, immediate families of our sisters and brothers abducted as well as four of our brothers killed by the Boko Haram terrorists in these unfortunate incidents. We share your pains and we pray this act will not happen again.”

He said the governor after meeting the families, interfaced with heads of security agencies and discussed gaps and ways to enhance security in the communities.

According to Gusau, Zulum observed that four local government areas: Biu, Askira, Chibok and Damboa were faced with serial attacks from the members of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in recent times, assuring that his administration will not relent in providing additional support to security operatives, to contain the challenges.

The Chairman of Chibok local government area, Umar Ibrahim while briefing the governor on the incident, said in addition to the 24 people abducted, three persons were killed by the terrorists during separate attacks on three communities.

The Chairman disclosed that a combined number of 110 buildings made up of 73 houses, 33 shops and four churches were burnt alongside eight vehicles and three tricycles.

Zulum immediately directed that an assessment report containing all destructions perpetrated by the terrorists in the three communities be submitted to him.

He also commended the chairman of the council for his responsive leadership saying, “Let me specifically commend the efforts of the Local Government Chairman, because, despite the very limited resources, he has been doing his best to ensure that dividends of democracy are provided in Chibok.”

The Governor was accompanied to Chibok by the member representing Chibok at the state assembly, Aimu Foni, Commissioner of Poverty Alleviation, Nuhu Clark who also hails from Chibok, and commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele.

The 25-year-old diploma holder who was paraded alongside other suspects arrested for various crimes at the Police headquarters in the state on Monday, December 6, confessed that the ammunition was given to her by her military lover, Lance Corporal Aliyu Isa.

Yohanna said she was asked to deliver the ammunition to the driver of a commercial vehicle heading for Yola.

She said “I have been dating the soldier for one year and four months. His name is Aliyu Isa; he is a Lance Corporal with the Nigerian Army serving in Askira. He gave me the bag and instructed me to take it to the park in Uba and waybill it in a vehicle going to Yola. I arrived at the Una Motor Park around 5 pm. When I got to the driver, he asked me what was in the bag and I told him I did not know, then he said we should open it to confirm before he would accept the luggage. Opening the bag, we discovered it was live ammunition. We counted them and discovered 90 pieces of live ammunition. That was how I was arrested and brought to the state police headquarters. The soldier was also arrested by the military; he is detention now at the military facility here in Maiduguri.”

Commissioner of Police in Borno, Abdu Umar, said Anita’s case was one of the many other criminal cases under investigation by the police.

Umar said there are four cases of rape of minors, theft, and vandals of electrical armoured cables. All the cases would be charged to court after the completion of investigations.

Zulum, during the Menwara Cultural Festival in Shani Town on Saturday, said that the monthly salaries and allowances paid to fake employees including the babies were ‘siphoned’ by corrupt officials, Daily Trust reports.

The governor said, “Let me inform you that at the end of the verification exercise, names of babies were found in the payrolls while N19 million was paid to fake employees in Shani Local Government Area monthly. It was discovered that one family alone has 300 fake employees and if this trend continues, I am afraid, Shani LGA may not be able to pay the monthly salaries of its employees, in the future.”