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Borno dry ports to be ready in 6 months – Zulum
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno says the state is committed to completing the construction of the Inland Dry Ports (IDP) in six months.
Zulum gave the assurances on Wednesday when he led the concessioners to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Headquarters in Lagos.
He assured NSC Executive members of the resolve of the Borno government to expedite works toward establishing an inland dry port in Maiduguri.
According to him, the establishment of the inland dry port in Maiduguri will bring opportunities to the Federal Government and the people of Borno.
“The dry ports when completed will bring about employment generation, which will take away thousands of young children off the street, this is very important.
“The establishment of IDP will enhance transborder trade and it will also enhance relationship with our border countries.
“The IDP will enhance the economy of the nation and also increase the nation’s GDP.
“We are trying to divert our attention from mono-economy, which is oil, by investing in other opportunities. I think Nigeria will be great soon,” Zulum said.
He commended the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu for ensuring the rehabilitation of rail lines across the country.
Zulum also lauded Tinubu’s efforts in the rehabilitation of all the roads which enable thousands of trucks to come into Maiduguri daily.
“The establishment of the road system will fast-track the process of the IDP in the absence of rail,” he said.
He added that an efficient and effective road transportation system was already in place.
Speaking earlier, the NSC Executive Secretary, Mr Pius Akutah, noted that it was important for Borno to establish an IDP given its location bordering three West African countries – Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.
He said that Nigeria had established international trade with African countries under the African Continental Free Trade Zone Agreement AfCFTA.
The NSC boss said that this had allowed the country to open its borders to the whole of Africa into one market.
Akutah said that the federal government had emphasised the need for critical infrastructure in places like Maiduguri, which had boundaries with three countries within the area.
Nothing that he had seen the consistency of Zulum, Akutah said that he believed in the capacity of the governor to deliver the IDP project in six months.
He said that Zulum had already developed critical infrastructure of the transit park, “which made the IDPs project mind-blowing”.
“Now what needs to be done is for the two entities to look at the political will that the governor has brought to the table, to see how they can quickly agree among themselves
“This is business and the initiative is not for the government to drive the day-to-day running of this inland dry port, it is a public-private dimension, and therefore, the private sector should drive it.
“So, the two entities should come together and fast-track the process of harmonising and agreeing among themselves.
“So, the governor can be able to achieve the speedy establishment of the IDP,” he said.
Akutah added that the President and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, had compelled the council to ensure the quick establishment of IDPs across the country.
He said that the establishment of IDP in Maiduguri would discharge more than 10, 000 containers daily.
Akutah, who noted that the Borno dry port was at five per cent completion, added that the council would support the government in actualising the six months completion of the project. (NAN
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media and Public Communications to Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has responded to the recent appointment of Bashir Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.).
Olayinka took to X (formerly Twitter) to address discussions surrounding this leadership transition. His post aimed to clarify that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not dismiss Mele Kyari, a northerner, to replace him with a southerner, as some speculated. Instead, Olayinka pointed out that Ojulari, like Kyari, hails from the northern region of Nigeria.
According to Olayinka’s post on his official X account, he emphasised that Bashir Ojulari is from Kwara State, located in North Central Nigeria. Additionally, the new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, originates from Borno State in the North East.
His post stated: “Bashir Ojulari, the new NNPCL CEO, is a northerner from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. The new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is also a northerner, from Borno State, North East Nigeria.”
Olayinka’s statement came in response to narratives suggesting that the appointment was politically motivated to favour one region over another.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, while warning against retaliatory violence targeting Southerners in Northern Nigeria.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, MBF Spokesman Luka Binniyat denounced inflammatory threats from individuals claiming to represent Northern interests in response to the killings.
Recalled that the victims, were allegedly armed hunters, traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano when they were attacked by a mob that accused them of being kidnappers.
“The MBF strongly condemns the unlawful killing of any Nigerian citizen, including those who lost their lives in Uromi,” the statement read. “However, we categorically reject any attempt to use this tragic incident as a pretext to unleash violence against Southerners residing in Northern Nigeria.”
The forum assured that the Middle Belt would not become a battleground for reprisals, emphasizing that it remains a safe haven for all law-abiding Nigerians. It urged community leaders and youths to remain vigilant and prevent any attempts to instigate violence, calling for anyone with such intentions to be handed over to authorities.
The MBF also reaffirmed its commitment to justice for all victims of violence across Nigeria. The statement highlighted the ongoing security challenges facing Middle Belt communities, citing persistent attacks by armed herdsmen with little government intervention.
” We hope that the swift response to the Uromi killings would serve as a precedent for broader action against criminal elements terrorizing the region.
“Thousands of our people remain in captivity, and vast portions of our land are still under the control of violent outlaws—primarily Fulani militants,” the statement noted.
“Justice must be served across the board.”
The MBF concluded by reiterating its support for the ongoing investigation into the Uromi incident and calling for a fair and decisive crackdown on all forms of criminality across the country.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.