By Kazeem Waris
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has commissioned a N15.96 billion nine-span flyover, a dualised road and two schools in Maiduguri as part of his administration’s efforts to rebuild infrastructure and accelerate the recovery of the state from the devastation of insurgency.
The projects, unveiled on Sunday by Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, include the Post Office nine-span flyover, the 2.5-kilometre Budum Tandari Junction-Kasuwan Shanu dualised road with five kilometres of drainage, Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School and Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Day Secondary School.
Commissioning the projects, Sule commended Zulum for what he described as purposeful leadership and people-oriented infrastructure development, saying the projects would have a direct impact on residents.
Sule said the Post Office flyover would help decongest traffic within Maiduguri and its environs, while also improving movement across the metropolis.
“I am honoured to be here in Maiduguri to officially unveil these large scale people-oriented projects executed by my brother, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, for the benefit of mankind,” he said.
He congratulated the government and people of Borno State, describing the projects as part of urban renewal initiatives capable of improving the lives of residents.
Zulum said the N15.96 billion Post Office nine-span flyover was completed within 11 months and was designed to ease traffic congestion, improve road safety and facilitate the movement of people and goods along one of Maiduguri’s major transportation corridors.
He put the cost of the flyover at N15,958,518,647.21.
The governor said the 2.5-kilometre dualised road from Budum Tandari Junction to Kasuwan Shanu, together with five kilometres of drainage, was constructed at a cost of N5,002,552,300.08.
“Together, these projects represent our continued commitment to improving mobility, strengthening urban infrastructure and creating an environment that supports economic activity and social development,” Zulum said.
But the governor said the reconstruction of schools remained equally important, given the scale of destruction suffered by the education sector during the insurgency.
According to him, more than 5,000 school structures were destroyed, while about 2.2 million children were out of school at the peak of the crisis, with fewer than 500,000 enrolled.
He added that many teachers and school administrators also lost their lives in the course of duty.
“For us, therefore, rebuilding schools goes beyond constructing physical structures. It is about restoring access to education, rebuilding confidence in our communities and providing our children with the opportunity to secure a better future,” Zulum said.
He disclosed that his administration invested N46.99 billion in basic, secondary and Sangaya education infrastructure across the state between the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.
Zulum said 136 projects had been completed, while others were either awaiting commissioning or under construction.
He said the administration had also expanded infrastructure at the public pre-primary and primary school levels, with usable classrooms increasing to 5,792 and functional water, sanitation and hygiene facilities rising to 4,563.
At the senior secondary level, he said the number of functional schools increased from 34 across eight local government areas in 2019 to 129 across 25 local government areas in 2026.
The governor said the expansion had been accompanied by a significant increase in enrolment, from 766,551 learners in 2019 to 1,801,295 in 2026.
He described the increase as evidence of progress in restoring access to education across the state after years of disruption caused by insurgency.
