Zulum orders rehabilitation of Chibok school

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum has ordered the immediate rehabilitation of Government Secondary School, Chibok where more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014.

After the attack on the school by the insurgents over six years ago, the defunct presidential committee on northeast intervention, PCNI, had done some work in the school, but during Zulum’s visit on Monday majority of roofs of buildings in the school were already blown off.

During the governor’s visit with some stakeholders and community leaders in Chibok, it was noticed that the publicized rebuilding of the school to international status ordered by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2015 was yet to be effected as the school has remained what it was immediately after the Boko Haram notorious attack.

Speaking during the visit, Zulum said: “I hereby direct the ministry of education to deploy a team of experts to assess the entire school and come up with a design and costing so that I can approve the immediate reconstruction and remodeling of this school.

“We will also ensure that the school is allocated adequate teachers, already I have given a directive for recruitment of more teachers both on permanent and ad-hoc staffing that will include volunteer teachers. Of course, before allocation of teachers, the reconstruction will involve the provision of all components of learning materials including functional laboratory for sciences. By the time I return here next time, I want to see a completely different scene.”

More than 200 schoolgirls writing WAEC exams were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014.

Some of girls later escaped even as a large number were released by the insurgents through negotiations.

In another development, Zulum has ordered the release of N11 million as social protection to victims of recent Boko Haram attack on Takulashi in Chibok local government area of the state.

The governor during a sympathy visit on 83 families affected by the attack, said: “What happened in Takulashi is very unfortunate, we share your pains and we all believe that nothing can equal the value of a single life. However, I will present token to support the 83 families affected.”

Twelve family members of those who lost their lives during the attack received N300,000 each, 53 people whose houses were burnt down received N100,000 each while families of nine persons also affected by the terrorist attack received N100,000 each.

Another five persons who sustained various degree of injuries received N150,000 each while another four families also received N150,000 each.

Zulum during his visit to Chibok, also inspected a community water project in Mboa about 5km away from Chibok town.

Mboa water project is designed with 750,000 liters surface tank with water sources from 10 deep aquifer boreholes each with 500,000 liters overhead tank.

The project, which is expected to be completed in 2021, is to solve perennial water scarcity bedeviling Chibok town and other communities around.