President Bola Tinubu on Saturday flagged off N137 billion rehabilitation work on the Bama–Banki and the Dikwa–Gamboru–Ngala roads in Borno.

He said during the ceremony that the roads, when fully completed, would boost trade and agricultural activities and enhance efficiency in security operations.

The project area borders the neighbouring Republic of Cameroon.

The existing road is a single-carriageway with two lanes, 49.15km in total length, and begins at Bama town at the Cameroon border.

Mr Tinubu, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said the roads were key to restoring trans-Saharan trade between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries of Chad and Cameroon, which had been disrupted by the insurgency.

“Bad roads are also a security risk. A corridor that is difficult for citizens to travel is equally difficult for security personnel to patrol and protect

“Promises acquire meaning when citizens can drive on the roads, move their goods, reach their families and live with greater security,” he said.

Earlier, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the president of the Dangote Group, and the contractors handling the projects said his group had 12 major roads covering over 1,000km across the six geo-political zones.

Mr Dangote said the projects put together cost the federal government about N3 trillion under the roads infrastructure tax credit scheme.

He stated that the Bama-Bank road and Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala road would open up Nigeria’s economy, facilitate military operations, thereby improving security and attract investors.

In his address, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, said that the projects were first awarded in 2021 at a combined cost of about N55 billion, but construction was delayed due to insecurity-related challenges.

Mr Umahi said the projects were later reviewed, with phase I estimated at N70 billion and phase II at N67 billion.

He said the projects would adopt the concrete technology system, which offered superior performance, long lifespan, reduced maintenance requirements, and gave greater value for money.

According to him, the scope of work also includes the construction and maintenance of bridges along the route, road furniture, traffic safety facilities and other ancillary works to improve road usage.

He said that the Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala road was part of the trunk 95.A3 major North–Southerly route, which started at the road-over-rail bridge on the Port Harcourt township boundary and continued to Aba-Oktupa–Oturkpo–Alaide–Makurdi-Lafiya-Akwanga-Jos–Bauchi-Kari-Potiskum-Maiduguri and -Dikwa–Gamboru-Ngala, the Nigerian border to Cameroon.

The minister stated that, when completed, the roads would enhance the movement of farm produce and trade, improve transportation quality, boost businesses, and provide greater access for security agencies in their operations.

In his remarks, Governor Babagana Zulum also said the interventions were vital to the state’s recovery efforts, adding that the roads would expand economic activity to Chad, Cameroon, and the Niger Republic.

 (NAN)

Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has criticised former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami over his past description of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an “infidel party”, while reaffirming his long-standing loyalty to the opposition party.

Lamido made the remarks while receiving PDP governorship candidates from Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Yobe and Jigawa states at his residence in Bamaina, Jigawa State, on Saturday.

Reflecting on the PDP’s years in power, Lamido said the party was repeatedly criticised by political opponents and some Islamic preachers.

“The PDP was labelled corrupt, and some even described it as an ‘infidel party.’ Despite all that, I remained in the party because it gave me the opportunity to serve Nigeria as Minister of Foreign Affairs and twice as Governor of Jigawa State,” he said.

The former governor disclosed that after the 2015 general elections, senior figures in the All Progressives Congress (APC), including former President Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Tinubu and former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, visited him in Dutse to persuade him to join the ruling party.

“I told them I could not abandon the party that made me who I am. Instead, I challenged them to come and join the PDP,” Lamido stated.

He also recalled that Pantami, while serving as Chief Imam of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Jumu’ah Mosque, allegedly delivered sermons in which he prayed against the PDP and referred to it as an “infidel party.”

According to Lamido, Pantami later joined the PDP after failing to secure the APC governorship ticket in Gombe State, a move that generated widespread public debate.

Pantami has not publicly responded to Lamido’s latest comments.

The exchange comes as political realignments and defections gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.