Zulum: How Scavengers Stole N3bn Power Line Cables

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has revealed that metal scavengers carted away all the wires purchased for a N3bn electricity distribution project linking Damaturu, Yobe State, to Maiduguri.

He cited the loss as a major reason the government is restricting the scrap metal trade.

The governor said security intelligence also indicated that insurgents were using scrap dealers to dispose of looted metals.

He warned that his administration would not allow commercial activities to undermine public safety and infrastructure protection.

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Zulum spoke while addressing affected business operators in Maiduguri, according to a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Technical Assistant on Print and Digital Communications, Abdulrahman Bundi.

“We spent more than N3 billion to connect an electricity distribution line from Damaturu to Maiduguri, but unfortunately we lost all the wires to the metal scavenging activities,” he said.

The disclosure has brought renewed attention to the vulnerability of electricity infrastructure in the North-East.

Vandalism had previously disrupted power supplies and imposed additional costs on efforts to restore electricity.

In September 2021, the Borno State Government raised concerns about the destruction of high-tension electricity infrastructure supplying Maiduguri and other parts of the state.

Officials said insurgents had repeatedly attacked power installations, leaving the state capital without electricity for months before repairs were undertaken.

Zulum said the latest restrictions were also informed by intelligence reports linking some scrap dealers to the sale of stolen materials by insurgents.

“We have security intelligence that even the insurgents use your platforms to sell looted metals. So, no responsible government will ignore such intelligence just to be politically correct,” he said.

The governor further highlighted the dangers faced by scavengers who venture into communities that remain unsafe for civilian activities.

“Before the ban, hundreds of your members were killed in the process of scavenging for metals in the villages that are not yet safe for civilian activities,” he said.

He insisted that the restriction was not designed to destroy legitimate businesses, adding that the government had no personal interest in depriving traders of their livelihoods.

“It is deeply concerning to me if one person loses his livelihood for whatever reason in Borno; believe me, there is nothing I stand to gain from banning scrap metal trade rather than addressing the serious security concerns associated with your activities,” he added.

The prohibition predates the latest disclosure.

On July 10, 2023, Zulum announced a ban on metal scavenging across Borno’s 27 local government areas after encountering metal scraps believed to include government property during an inspection in Maiduguri.

The governor cited the alleged removal of streetlights, communication infrastructure and other public assets among the concerns behind the decision.

However, the administration has since moved to address the economic consequences of the restriction on affected operators.

At Saturday’s meeting, Zulum granted a waiver for traders to evacuate scrap materials accumulated before the ban from designated locations.

He also asked the operators to submit proposals showing how they could continue their businesses without contributing to insecurity or the destruction of public infrastructure.

The latest intervention followed a reported offer of ₦200 million in assistance to affected operators and the designation of 72 sites for the evacuation exercise.

The government also indicated that it could reconsider the ban if the traders presented credible safeguards against vandalism and security breaches.