Boko Haram Burden: Zulum Says Security, Humanitarian Needs Took 70% of Borno Budget

MAIDUGURI — Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has revealed that the state devoted about 70 per cent of its budget over the last seven years to security and other humanitarian-related needs arising from the Boko Haram insurgency.

The governor spoke on Thursday at a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Offer Support to the Borno Model and the Steering Committee of the UN Response to Mass Exits from Insurgency in North-east Nigeria Peace Building Fund (PBF) Projects in Maiduguri.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that spending on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees, reconstruction and livelihood support accounted for the largest share of the expenditure.

Zulum said the scale of spending demonstrated the enormous financial burden the insurgency had placed on Borno and the continuing need to rebuild communities affected by years of conflict.

He said the state had invested extensively in the reconstruction of schools, houses, health facilities and markets, alongside programmes designed to provide livelihoods for residents affected directly or indirectly by the insurgency.

The governor thanked UN development partners and international donors for their support as Borno moves from humanitarian intervention towards recovery, reconstruction, resilience and sustainable development.

He urged partners to reconsider short-term, project-based interventions and adopt longer-term, scalable development solutions capable of linking peace-building efforts with economic development.

Zulum maintained that lasting peace would depend not only on security measures but also on access to jobs, livelihoods, education, functional institutions and opportunities for young people.

He further called for improved coordination among development partners so that available resources could be combined effectively and directed towards communities with the greatest needs.

Minister Seeks Shift From Emergency Aid

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, said Nigeria needed sustained international partnerships to address its humanitarian and development challenges.

“Transition from emergency interventions to long-term development financing,” Bagudu said.

He called for development assistance to be aligned with Nigeria’s priorities, including education, healthcare, human capital development, climate resilience and economic growth.

According to him, sustainable financing would be necessary to ensure that interventions in vulnerable communities deliver long-term results rather than temporary relief.

UN Backs Borno’s Transition

UNDP Representative Ms Elsie Attarfuah praised Zulum’s leadership and commitment to the people of Borno.

She said the Borno Model was gradually moving beyond an ambitious idea towards the establishment of systems, institutions and measurable results.

Attarfuah also noted that the emerging legal framework would help institutionalise the initiative.

Mr Mohamed Fall, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, warned that continued conflict across the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel remained a major obstacle to stabilisation.

He said the reduction in humanitarian presence, combined with a challenging global financing environment, had increased pressure on vulnerable communities.

Fall said the UN would continue assisting affected populations while working to strengthen national and state institutions capable of delivering lasting peace, recovery and stability.

He identified climate, development and security as central priorities in the transition from humanitarian response to sustainable development.

The meeting brought together government representatives, UN agencies, security organisations, humanitarian groups, development partners and donor-country representatives.

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