MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum marked Nigeria’s Democracy Day by donating two Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and other operational logistics to the Nigerian Army while also celebrating with internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri.
The governor handed over the armoured vehicles to the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai to strengthen military operations against insurgents, particularly in areas threatened by improvised explosive devices and ambush attacks. The donation also included operational Hilux vehicles and motorcycles to support troops deployed in challenging terrains across the state.
Okay News reports that Zulum later joined residents of the Madinatu IDP camp, where food supplies, non-food items and cash assistance were distributed to 2,500 beneficiaries as part of Democracy Day activities. The governor said the intervention aligns with his administration’s ongoing efforts to restore the dignity of displaced persons and accelerate their return to ancestral communities.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Zulum announced plans to shut down the Madinatu camp within one month, describing it as part of a broader strategy to close remaining displacement camps and facilitate voluntary resettlement. He noted that more than two million displaced persons have been successfully resettled across Borno over the past seven years.
“Democracy must translate into restoring the dignity of our people,” the governor said, stressing that camp life was never intended to be a permanent solution. He added that the government would continue to support displaced families with security and livelihood opportunities as they return home.
As part of the support package, each beneficiary received food items, while women were given wrappers. Zulum also approved a cash grant of N50,000 for each of the 2,500 beneficiaries, with payments to be made through individual bank accounts.
The event was attended by senior government officials, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lawmakers, commissioners, commissioner-designates and other stakeholders in the state.
