… Wants Soldiers, Police Presence Increased –
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In order to to attract increased security and rebuild public confidence at Auno town, Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has directed the siting of a community outreach office which he will start using from time to time in the town, that had come under repeated attacks by boko haram.
The Governor gave the directive on Saturday in Auno town during his assessment of ongoing projects, amongst them two housing units, each for 500 houses, making 1000 houses in Auno and Njimtilo.
In February, Auno, located along Maiduguri-Damaturu high way, came under heavy attack by boko haram leading to deaths og 30 passengers, a carnage that attracted a sympathy visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to Borno state. Many residents have continually left Auno for Maiduguri.
Zulum, who currently operates two offices at the government house and the state’s secretariat (stopping workers’ absenteeism and lateness), said the new outreach at Auno will not be an office, it will be a place he will also be operating, for the purpose of having direct interactions with the residents at Auno, and nearby communities in Konduga and Kaga local government areas. Auno is not far from Njimtilo, Mainok, Benesheikh and Ngamdu, all populated communities, also on the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
An outreach directed by Governor Zulum is expected to boost public confidence especially as the governor intends to be using it from time to time.
“To encourage those that have left to come back.
As I have earlier said, Auno is a very strategic town but because of the lingering security situation in Auno, most of the population have relocated to Maiduguri, Auno is only 6 kilometers away from the Borno State University, dislodging Auno would mean dislodging Maiduguri which has more than half the population of Borno. We have to take measures to secure Auno like we should do for all parts of the state. I am establishing a community outreach that will be used by me and I will be regular here” Zulum said.
The Governor while addressing a very few people left in the town directed the ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement to immediately provide food items and cash amount to those currently living in the town.
“While fighting against COVID-19, we have to be very careful of other sectors, Auno is an agrarian community, and it is now a rainning season, people need to go back to their farmlands. Most of the people in Maiduguri use to farm in Auno, it is therefore, imperative on us to focus more on Auno in terms of security provisions” Zulum said.
… Wants soldiers, police presence increased
While at Auno, Governor Zulum appealed to the Nigerian Army to relocate their formation from its existing location to Auno Secondary School, which is ahead of the town. That way, he suggested, citizens could feel safer.
The Governor also called on the Borno State Police Command to increase police presence in Auno to strengthen civil authority in the town.
… Inspects 1,000 housing sites at Auno, Njimtilo
During his Saturday outing, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum inspected projects sites where a total of 1,000 houses are being built.
At Auno, Zulum assessed 500 resettlement houses being built by the ministry of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement for internally displaced persons, IDPs.
Zulum explained during his assessment that housing units sited in two locations, is to expand Auno to eventually link it up with Maiduguri through developmental housing.
At Njimtilo, in the outskirt of Maiduguri (geographically in Konduga) Governor Zulum inspected another 500 housing estate being constructed under the supervision of a high powered committee that is led by the state’s deputy governor.
Both projects were progressing.
Zulum was also at the Borno State University where he inspected ongoing road and staff housing projects.
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