Borno Crisis Kept Me Away From My Family — Zulum

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has revealed that he saw his children only three times during the first 55 days of his administration as he focused on addressing the state’s security and humanitarian crises.

The governor made the disclosure while receiving a delegation of prominent sons and daughters of Gubio Local Government Area, who paid him a courtesy visit alongside the APC governorship candidate, Mustapha Gubio.

Reflecting on the early days of his administration in 2019, Zulum said the enormous responsibility of tackling insurgency, displacement and other challenges in Borno came with significant personal sacrifices.

“When I took over the leadership of the state, I saw my children only three times within the first 55 days. The first four years were extremely challenging, but by the grace of Almighty Allah, we have begun to see positive results,” he said.

The governor noted that insecurity remains the most difficult challenge facing the state but expressed optimism that the situation would improve further before the end of his tenure.

He pledged to hand over a more stable, secure and prosperous Borno State to his successor.

“Security remains our greatest challenge. Insha Allah, before I leave office, the situation will be better than it is today. I will hand over a more stable, prosperous and secure state to Engr. Mustapha Gubio,” Zulum stated.

The governor also urged residents to support and pray for the APC governorship candidate, stressing that sustaining achievements is often more difficult than attaining them.

According to him, leadership requires wisdom, resilience and the ability to effectively manage success.

Zulum described Mustapha Gubio as a man of integrity and humility whom he has known for more than 26 years, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the state if elected.

“I have known Mustapha Gubio since his days as a student at the University of Maiduguri. He is humane, composed and a person of integrity. I believe he possesses the qualities needed to provide leadership for Borno State,” he said.

The governor further assured residents that his administration would continue to prioritise security, economic development and infrastructure projects aimed at improving living conditions across the state.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Gambo Gubio, thanked Zulum for supporting the emergence of Mustapha Gubio as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

He described the candidate as a worthy son of Gubio and commended the governor for his achievements in security, governance and infrastructure development.

The visit was attended by APC leaders, senior government officials, former lawmakers, traditional stakeholders and community leaders from Gubio Local Government Area.