Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has approved N50,000 financial support for each soldier preparing for deployment to Maiwa and Koshebe communities in the state as part of efforts to strengthen security and facilitate the return of residents.
The governor announced the support on Friday during a visit to the headquarters of the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa Local Government Area, where he met with the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Aminu Gumel.
The intervention comes amid renewed efforts to secure communities along the Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa-Ngala highway, a strategic economic corridor linking several parts of eastern Borno State. 
Mr Zulum said his visit was aimed at exploring measures to improve security along the route, which serves as an important channel for transportation, agricultural activities, trade and cross-border commerce.
He noted that restoring security along the highway was critical to enabling residents to travel safely, transport agricultural produce to markets and rebuild their livelihoods after years of insurgency.
Addressing soldiers preparing for deployment to Maiwa and Koshebe, the governor pledged continued government support through operational logistics and welfare assistance.
He announced N50,000 for each soldier preparing to serve in the two communities, assuring the troops that his administration would sustain its interventions to strengthen their operations.
The governor’s intervention is part of broader efforts to restore government presence and civilian activities in communities that have suffered years of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents.
Koshebe, particularly, carries painful memories of one of the deadliest attacks on farmers in Borno State.
On November 28, 2020, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked rice farmers harvesting their crops in the community, near Zabarmari in Mafa Local Government Area.
The attackers rounded up the farm workers, tied them up and slaughtered many of them. Several of the victims were seasonal labourers who had travelled from Sokoto State and other parts of the country to work on the rice farms.
At least 43 bodies were buried following the massacre, although the death toll was initially uncertain, with several other victims reported missing.
The attack drew nationwide condemnation and renewed concerns over the safety of farmers in communities surrounding Maiduguri, where residents had struggled to return to their farms despite persistent security threats.
In November 2023, suspected Boko Haram insurgents again attacked rice farmers harvesting their crops around Karkut and Koshebe in Mafa Local Government Area, killing at least 13 people, while others were reported missing.
The recurring attacks have highlighted the security challenges confronting agricultural communities in the state, particularly during harvest seasons when farmers are exposed to attacks while working in remote farmlands.
Mr Zulum’s latest intervention is therefore aimed not only at strengthening military operations but also at creating conditions for residents to return to their communities and resume economic activities.
The Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa-Ngala highway is particularly important to Borno’s economy because it connects farming and trading communities and facilitates the movement of essential commodities and agricultural produce.
Improved security along the corridor is also expected to support commercial activities and cross-border trade with neighbouring countries.
The governor has repeatedly called for stronger military operations and increased security presence in vulnerable communities, stressing that military successes must be followed by reconstruction, rehabilitation and the resettlement of displaced residents.
His administration has also provided operational support to security agencies as part of efforts to combat insurgency and restore normalcy across the state.
During the visit, Mr Zulum was accompanied by the member representing Monguno, Nganzai and Marte Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bukar Talba; the member representing Dikwa Constituency in the Borno State House of Assembly, Mohammed Zakariya; and the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar.
Also on the delegation were the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, and other senior government officials.
