Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum has released 50 buses and 30 pick-up vans to provide free transportation to farmers from their communities to their farmlands to cushion the adverse effects of subsidy removal on them.
Zulum announced the release of the 80 vehicles on Tuesday while addressing farmers at a farming community near Maiduguri, the capital.
According to him “We are here purposely to support the farmers, you can see thousands of them have gathered and their numbers can reach up to 100,000.
“Due to the removal of fuel subsidies which although has a long-term benefit, the cost of transportation has increased.
“Borno State Government has decided to provide 50 buses (and 30 pick-up vans) to convey farmers to their farmlands this rainy season”
He said the buses were allocated from the fleet of the state-owned Borno Express Corporation while the government will hire 30 pick-up vans to ease the farmers’ transport challenge.
The governor appealed to the farmers to cooperate with the military troops, Police and other security agencies deployed to protect them.
“I want to urge you to give maximum support and cooperation to the Nigerian Military. They (soldiers) are here to protect you,” he pleaded.