Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has urged the Federal Government to protect critical assets of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) from alleged plans to auction serviceable equipment as scrap, while also calling for the reopening of the Baga–Lake Chad waterway to boost cross-border trade and economic recovery.
Zulum expressed concern over reports that functional machinery and infrastructure within CBDA facilities in Northern Borno were being considered for disposal, warning that such action would undermine agricultural development and food security efforts in the region.
He said the equipment, procured at significant cost by the Federal Government, remains vital for irrigation farming, water supply, power generation, and rural development across the Lake Chad Basin.
The governor warned that key assets, including irrigation stations, tractors, bulldozers, harvesters, pipelines, and drilling equipment, were still serviceable and should not be discarded.
“It has come to the attention of the Borno State Government that some unscrupulous elements are attempting to cart away heavy equipment… in the name of scrap metal auctioning,” he said.
Zulum added that the move would amount to weakening critical national infrastructure at a time when efforts are ongoing to resettle displaced persons and revive agricultural livelihoods in the North East.
He further raised concerns over illegal metal scavenging, linking it to insecurity dynamics in the Lake Chad Basin, and urged the Presidency and Federal Ministry of Water Resources to intervene immediately to halt any planned auction.
“The people of Borno will not allow any attempt to remove our public assets and collective patrimony,” he added.
In a related development, Zulum also renewed calls for the reopening of the Baga–Lake Chad waterway, describing it as key to restoring fishing, trade, and regional cooperation between Nigeria and the Republic of Chad.
He made the appeal during a visit to Baga, where he met with military commanders in Baga and Kukawa to discuss modalities for clearing waterways previously disrupted by insurgent activity.
“Our visit to Baga was to interface with the Nigerian military on modalities for clearing waterways from Baga to the Republic of Chad,” he said, expressing optimism that clearance operations would soon resume.
The governor also inspected ongoing projects in Kukawa, including a general hospital, a mega primary school, and a High Islamic College aimed at reintegrating out-of-school children and Almajiri pupils into formal education.
He added that the state government would soon distribute farming tools, equipment, and improved seedlings to support farmers and returnee fishing communities as part of broader recovery efforts.
