Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has pledged ₦50,000 to each soldier preparing for deployment to Maiwa and Koshebe communities.
Zulum made the announcement on Friday during a visit to the headquarters of the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa Local Government Area, where he met the brigade commander, Brigadier General Aminu Gumel.
The governor said his visit was aimed at finding ways to improve security along the Maiduguri–Mafa–Dikwa–Ngala highway, a key route for trade, transport and cross-border commerce.
“My visit is primarily aimed at exploring measures to strengthen security along the strategic economic corridor, which connects Maiduguri to several communities in eastern Borno and serves as a vital route for trade, transportation and cross-border commercial activities,” Zulum said.
The highway links communities to markets and supports the movement of agricultural produce and other goods. Zulum said better security along the route would help residents travel safely, resume trading and rebuild their livelihoods.
Addressing troops preparing to deploy to Maiwa and Koshebe, the governor pledged operational logistics and continued welfare support. He announced ₦50,000 for each soldier.
Koshebe was the site of a deadly attack on rice farmers on November 28, 2020, when Boko Haram militants killed more than 100 people working in fields near Zabarmari and Maiduguri. Many of the victims were seasonal farm workers from Sokoto State, according to reports.
In November 2023, suspected Boko Haram insurgents again attacked rice farmers in the Karkut and Koshebe areas of Mafa Local Government Area, killing at least 13 people and leaving others missing.
Zulum’s administration has regularly provided logistical and welfare support to military operations as part of efforts to improve security and enable displaced residents to return to their communities.
The governor was accompanied by the member representing Monguno, Nganzai and Marte Federal Constituency, Bukar Talba; Dikwa Constituency lawmaker Mohammed Zakariya; Information and Internal Security Commissioner Usman Tar; Local Government and Emirate Affairs Commissioner Sugun Mai Mele; and other senior government officials.
