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Borno Lost $6.8bn To Boko Haram Insurgency – Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima said the post-insurgency assessment in the North-East showed that attacks by Boko Haram cost the region $9bn, out of which Borno State, the epicentre of the insurgency, lost $6.8bn.
Speaking in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, last Saturday when he flagged off palliative distribution for states in the region by the North East Development Commission, Shettima, a former governor of the state, lamented how several emirs were displaced without any emirate to govern.
The initiative by the NEDC was part of its efforts to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on people in the region.
Shettima, who also declared the eighth North-East Governors’ Forum meeting open at the Borno State Government House, Maiduguri, said the NEDC was fulfilling its mandate of rehabilitating and resettling victims of the insurgency.
He added, “A lot of our emirs here were emirs without emirate. Ten years ago, the palace that Governor Babagana Zulum calls home was under the control of Boko Haram. 10 years ago, the hometown of the governor of Yobe State was under the grip of Boko Haram. 10 years ago, a chunk of the North-East was under Boko Haram. Maiduguri was effectively encircled apart from Maiduguri/Kano Road that was sporadically attacked by Boko Haram.
“Based on the post insurgency, recovery peace building assessment report of the North-East which was validated by the World Bank, European Union and the Presidency, Boko Haram inflicted damages in the North-East to the tune of $9bn, Borno alone has damages worth $6.8bn.”
While lamenting the challenges of the region Shettima added, “If the North-East was to be treated as a nation, we are poorer than Chad and Niger. But I want to commend our governors, the PDP Governors’ of Bauchi and Adamawa states are the closest to the governor of Borno.”
Dispelling rumour about the NEDC power play that ushered in the new board, where both the Managing Director, Mohammed Goni, and the Chairman, Paul Tarfa, were reappointed, Shettima noted that the two men earned their reappointments, adding, “They left behind N237bn, which is unprecedented in the contemporary history of governance in Nigeria.”
Goni, however, said the commission was committed to combating hunger in the 110 Local Government Areas in the region, adding, “Today, we are going to donate food and non-food items which cost about N15bn through the Vice-President to all the state governors, 18 senatorial districts, 48 federal constituencies as well as the six states House of Assembly.”
The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a Central Planning Committee to organize the celebration of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) in the State.
The committee was formally inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
Dr Anabraba who also serves as Chairman of the Committee
highlighted the State Government’s deep appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigeria’s fallen heroes who laid down their lives for the nation’s peace and unity.
“These heroes have given their lives for the security and peace of our nation and deserve to be celebrated. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an opportunity to show our gratitude for their sacrifice,” he said.
Dr. Anabraba further extended recognition to all Security Agencies in the State, emphasizing the importance of the event in appreciating their contributions to national security and sovereignty.
The annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day, observed on January 15 across the country is dedicated to remember Nigeria’s departed soldiers and honouring the nation’s veterans.
