Boko Haram-Ravaged Yobe State ‘To Buy Two TVs, Two Air Conditioners’ For N300M; N210M For Graveyards, Mosques’ Renovation’

The Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Yobe State will in 2024 spend N200 million to “purchase 2nos of Air Conditioners”, a copy of the state’s 2024 appropriation bill obtained by SaharaReporters revealed.

The ministry which has a budget approval of N1.131 billion for capital expenditure also plans to buy two television sets for N100 million.

All these are contained in the state’s 2024 appropriation bill of N217,000,000,000 to service both capital and recurrent expenditures signed by Governor Mai Mala Buni in December 2023. (http://budget.pfm.yb.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/YOBE-FY24-BGT.pdf)

A further check by newsmen showed that N180 million was budgeted under the state Ministry of Agriculture for the construction and renovation of “constituency” mosques and graveyards.

Another N30 million is also expected to be spent for the construction of a mosque at Nasari grazing reserve, making N210 million in total.

Terrorism has impacted communities in Yobe State in various ways, with thousands of innocent lives lost and property worth millions of naira destroyed, including places of worship.

SaharaReporters during the week reported that Boko Haram insurgents attacked the convoy of Major General MLD Sara, Theatre Commander, Sector 2 Joint Task Force (JTF) North East (NE), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) of the Nigerian Army using explosives.

The IED, which occurred in Kukareta, Yobe State was planted by militants of the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihā.

During the attack, the driver of the vehicle sustained a leg injury while the vehicle was damaged.

However, Major General Sara and another army personnel also in the military vehicle were unhurt.

According to a military signal obtained by SaharaReporters, the army commander was on assessment to a military formation 233 Battalion on the outskirts of Kukareta which was earlier attacked by the terrorists.

The gunmen had launched an attack on the town where they also killed a mobile policeman and two civilians.

“While on an assessment visit to the amp by the Comd Sector 2 JTF NE OPHK Maj Gen MLD Sara’s at about 040930A, an IED planted at the entrance gate to the camp exploded which injured the Commanders driver on the leg while the Comds staff car was also damaged but the Comd and his Radio operator were unhurt.

“The situation is being assessed while a detailed investigation has commenced,” the military signal had read.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.