Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, has proposed to establish a governor’s outreach office at a volatile town in the state to attract more security presence and accelerate development.
Zulum during a visit to Auno, a volatile town some 24 kilometres to Maiduguri, the state capital yesterday directed that an outreach office for the state governor be established in the small town.
“Auno is a very strategic town but because of lingering security situation, most of the population have relocated to Maiduguri. So we have to take measures to secure the town like we do to other parts of the state. I am establishing à community outreach that will be used by me and I will be regular here,” he disclosed.
He said allowing Boko Haram to dislodge Auno was tantamount to raid on Maiduguri especially with its proximity to the main campus of the state university.
He sad he expected the governor’s outreach office to boost the confidence of the people to stay in the town. He explained that he would also be coordinating government activities and interacting with people around the area being a central point to communities in the surrounding local governments.
Zulum also inspected some projects being executed by his administration in the area.
Auni, which is located along the Mairuguri-Damaturu highway has been attacked several times by Boko Haram. The insurgents killed about 30 stranded travellers in the town in February in this year. The attack attracted national and international condemnation. The insurgents burnt about a dozen commercial buses, cars and lorries carrying travelers and goods from Abuja, Kano and Jos to Maiduguri.