Borno Loses Billions in Infrastructure to Scrap Metal Scavenging, Zulum Says

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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 operators of their means of survival.

“It is deeply concerning to me if one person loses his livelihood for whatever reason in Borno; believe me, there is nothing I stand to gain from banning scrap metal trade rather than addressing the serious security concerns associated with your activities,” Zulum said.

The governor cited the loss of electrical infrastructure as a major concern, saying the state had spent more than 3 billion naira to connect an electricity distribution line from Damaturu to Maiduguri, only for the wires to be stolen. He also said hundreds of scrap metal scavengers had been killed while searching for metals in rural communities that remained unsafe for civilian activities before the ban was imposed.

“We have security intelligence that even the insurgents use your platforms to sell looted metals. So, no responsible government will ignore such intelligence just to be politically correct,” Zulum said, arguing that the government could not overlook security assessments in order to avoid criticism over the ban.

In an effort to ease the impact on legitimate businesses, Zulum said the government had granted a waiver allowing operators to evacuate scrap metal stocks accumulated before the prohibition at designated locations. The concession offers some relief to traders, although the long-term future of the industry will depend on whether operators can propose a system that addresses the government’s security concerns and protects public infrastructure.

The dispute highlights a difficult challenge for authorities in Borno, a state that has endured years of insurgency and widespread disruption to livelihoods and essential services. While the government says the ban is necessary to prevent theft and the possible sale of looted materials, its longer-term test will be to develop an enforceable framework that safeguards infrastructure, supports legitimate livelihoods and does not allow criminal activity to flourish through the scrap metal trade.

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