For renouncing thuggery and attending one month of intensive practical training on entrepreneurship, Governor Babagana Zulum on Friday presented N100 million to 152 reformed youths who were prominent members of a violent political thuggery group code named ‘ECOMOG’ in Maiduguri.

Zulum made the presentation at the Ramat Polytechnic in Maiduguri, venue of the one-month training.

The 152 youths had renounced thuggery in response to Governor Zulum’s ban, announced at the end of 2019.

Following that announcement, the governor in August 2019, directed the enrollment of 2,762 youths into a ‘waste for cash’ sanitation programme in which the youth cleaned the drainages to earn monthly stipends.

Satisfied with the improving conducts of the youth, Zulum directed selection of leaders and most prominent persons who were engaged in thuggery since the 90s, before renouncing the practices.

One hundred and fifty-two persons were then selected and made to undergo one month of training on business enterprises, fishery, animal rearing and animal fattening.

The training was coordinated by the directorate of entrepreneurship at the Ramat Polytechnic, where Prof. Zulum was an engineering diploma student from 1986 to 1988, and rector from 2011 to 2015.

Declaring the training closed on Friday, Zulum said 16 prominent leaders of the repentant political thugs will each receive N2 million amounting to N32 million, while remaining 136 persons will each receive N500,000 amounting to N68 million. The combination made up N100 million.

The governor said the government’s support is under the condition that none of them ever returns to political thuggery, while also, they be required to repay half of what they receive as the state government is waving 50%.

Commissioner for Sports and Youths Empowerment, Saina Buba, described the programme as a bold effort by Zulum, in stamping out violent political thuggery, especially from Maiduguri, at which youths had in previous years (between 2002 to 2008) reached the extent of rival killings.

Also, Zulum announced that the state government will shoulder the education of 152 children, one each to be nominated by the 152 repentant political thugs.

Zulum charged the youth that it was in their best interest to accord dignity to themselves by being self reliant rather return to thuggery.

Leaders of the youth, speaking in Hausa and Kanuri, said Zulum had proved his genuine love for them by not only setting them up for businesses, but also promising to educate their children.

“There is no better way for Zulum to prove that he genuinely means well for us. By the grace of God, we will not allow anyone to even look at us as thugs because our appearances alone will indicate that we are changed persons,” one of the leaders said.

TheStar