Borno Loses Billions in Infrastructure to Scrap Metal Scavenging, Zulum Says
By Adamu Aliyu Ngulde, Nigeria BORNO State has lost infrastructure, electrical cables and other metal assets worth billions of naira to scrap metal scavenging, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has said, defending a state-wide ban on the trade on security and economic grounds. Zulum said the losses, alongside concerns about the use of scrap metal businesses to support insecurity, prompted the government to prohibit the trade. The ban has raised questions about how authorities can protect public infrastructure and address security risks while preserving the livelihoods of people who depend on collecting and selling scrap materials. Speaking on Saturday to scrap metal operators, locally known as Ajakuta , the governor urged them to submit proposals outlining how they could continue their businesses without contributing to insecurity or damaging public assets. He said the restriction was introduced in the interest of the state, rather than to deprive legitimate oper...