Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has said metal scavengers stole all the wires purchased for an electricity distribution project worth more than ₦3 billion linking Damaturu in Yobe State to Maiduguri. He said the loss was among the reasons his administration restricted scrap metal trading across Borno, citing concerns about the protection of public infrastructure and the state’s security situation.
Zulum disclosed this while addressing scrap metal dealers and other affected business operators in Maiduguri on Saturday. According to a statement by his Senior Technical Assistant on Print and Digital Communications, Abdulrahman Bundi, the governor said the government introduced the restriction to protect public assets and address security risks rather than deliberately deprive traders of their livelihoods.
The governor also alleged that security intelligence indicated that insurgents were using scrap metal trading channels to sell stolen materials. He said the government could not ignore information linking the trade to the movement of looted metals, particularly given the security challenges facing parts of Borno State.
Zulum further said hundreds of scavengers had reportedly been killed while searching for scrap metal in communities considered unsafe for civilian activities. He expressed concern about the impact of the restriction on legitimate traders, insisting that his administration did not want residents to lose their means of livelihood unnecessarily.
To ease the burden on genuine operators, the governor granted a waiver allowing them to evacuate scrap materials accumulated before the ban from designated locations. He also asked traders to submit proposals explaining how they could continue their businesses without contributing to insecurity or the destruction of public infrastructure. The state government indicated that it could consider reviewing the restriction if effective safeguards were presented.
