Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has imposed an indefinite ban on metal scavenging activities across the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.

Zulum made the declaration after sighting metals vandalised by scavengers from government structures during a visit to Bulumkutu area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday, July 10, 2023.

The governor said: “Within the last five years, many people were killed as a result of metal scavenging. That has informed the government of Borno State to investigate such nefarious activities.

“You have seen this place, all these are government properties, and behind you are properties belonging to telecommunication companies. Such activities can only be tagged as economic sabotage both to the federal and state governments. Therefore, I have directed the ban of metal scavenging in all 27 local governments until further notice.”

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Governor Zulum stated that the scavengers are notorious for destroying both public and private properties in most Local Government Areas where the activities of Boko Haram forced residents to flee.

He noted that the state government lost valuable properties worth billions of naira in the last five years resulting from the activities of scavengers.

Zulum said the ban on metal scavenging extends to all forms of informal and unregulated metal recovery activities, including the dismantling, collection, and transportation of scrap metals.

Governor Zulum, therefore, warned that the Borno State Government will work closely with security agencies to effectively enforce the ban by imposing stringent penalties on violators.

The Star