MAIDUGURI, North-East, Nigeria – Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has released five vehicles and a business grant as stimulus to fish traders at an interactive meeting with the dealers on Saturday in Monguno town.
The gesture he said, was aimed to enhance the trading on dried fish previously suspended as a result of the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the area.
Zulum was in Monguno to supervise the distribution of N275m alongside bags of food items and textiles to over 90,000 IDPs and vulnerable members of the host communities, from Thursday to Saturday.
Economic activities in Borno were disrupted due to Boko Haram’s attacks on security forces and communities, leading to the displacement of millions of people.
Prior to activities of insurgency in the state, dry fish was commercially supplied to other parts of Nigeria and to neighbouring countries.
The Governor has since 2019 directed disbursement of billions of naira aimed at supporting business owners whose sources of livelihood were crippled by over a decade conflict in the northeast region.
He however, warned the traders against any business deals that can support funding to Boko Haram/ISWAP; urging them to cooperate with the security agencies by providing information on suspicious activities relating to insurgents.
“I warn you not to be involved with any illicit transaction that can jeopardize the security of our people. Anyone caught associating with criminal elements should blame himself,” he said.