By Ndahi Marama

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has said the activities of Boko Haram insurgents have eroded the dividends of democracy from the people of the state for over a decade.

Zulum spoke while addressing citizens of the state to mark Democracy Day at Ramat Square, Maiduguri.

According to him, over 80 per cent of state’s infrastructural facilities were destroyed by insurgents, saying: “Over the years, we lost the greater part of our democratic gains to the devilish acts and destructive tendencies of Boko Haram insurgents.

“We witnessed massive displacement of communities and a high number of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the country.”

On other destroyed facilities, the governor said: “In the 10-year insurgency, there was the destruction of irrigation facilities with the collapse of market and trading facilities.  This led to high levels of food insecurity. The task before us is enormous, given the meagre resource base of the state. We will never relent or give up.”

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Speaking on security, he said: “Within the two weeks of my assumption of office, I have garnered support to reinforce security measures and adopt additional strategies to counter the insurgency. I have taken measures to empower Civilian JTF, give logistic support to all security operatives.”

The logistic support, according to him, would create an effective platform for cooperation and consultations, insisting that he would not hesitate to take any action or support any cause that could restore peace.