Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has accomplished the reconstruction of the Bama–Banki road – a 65-km road linking the North East part of Nigeria to Cameroon and by extension other countries in the Central African region.
The road was reopened nine years after it was closed because of insurgency, in a ceremony, on Wednesday, organised by the Borno State Government, where the governor, alongside the Theatre Commander, ‘Operation Hadin Kai’, Major General Musa Christopher, traveled to the border town from Maiduguri.
The Bama-Banki road leads the Kanuri commercial and historical town of Bama to border town Banki, which shares border with neighbouring Cameroon Republic in Central Africa.
Until the invasion and capture of Bama by insurgents about nine years ago, which led to the closure of the road, the route was of immense economic value to the country as goods were transported from Nigeria to Cameroon, as well as many other countries in the Central African region.
Unveiling the road at Banki Junction on the outskirts of Bama town, Zulum appreciated the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian military for the gains being recorded in peace-building and stability of the North East region.
“I am very much impressed to witness the official reopening of this very important international road. This road has remained inaccessible to people since 2012, due to activities of Boko Haram, but with the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, our gallant security agencies have worked towards today’s reopening of this road,” the governor said.
Announcing the donation of ten surveillance patrol vehicles to the Nigerian Army, Governor Zulum warned security agencies to desist from extorting motorists and passengers.
His words: “As we were coming here today, I sighted some immigration personnel busy extorting our motorists along the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki junction, which is unacceptable. I want to strongly sound a warning, especially, to immigration personnel and other sister agencies to desist from extorting motorists and passengers.
“I have given a matching order to the military to arrest anybody engaged in smuggling of goods, especially, diverting the main road to the bush with food items.”
