Terrorism: No purchase of fertilizer by proxy, Borno Governor warns

By Usman Abubakar, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, on Saturday, flagged off the sales of fertiliser and free input support distribution in the state for the 2025 wet farming with a severe warning: “No fertilizer purchase by proxy, and no diversion of the commodity in whatever form and for whatever other reasons.

Announcing a 50 percent subsidy on the commodity to enable majority of the vulnerable farmers, he stressed: “No farmer should send any person to purchase fertilizer for him, and no official should sell to any person sent by another person.”

The governor clarified that the ban against proxy purchase and diversion of the commodity is to ensure that no terrorist purchases the commodity to manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which happened over the last 15 years of the Boko Haram insurgency.

While launching the exercise at the Fertiliser Blending Company, Farm Centre in Maiduguri, Zulum, sounding passionate about vulnerable communities, announced 50 percent subsidy for all the 75 trucks to smallholder farmers, returnees in resettled communities, youth, women and the vulnerable groups across the twenty seven local government areas of the state.

“I have approved the sales of the fertilizers at a subsidized rate of 50 percent, a strategic decision to make them affordable, accessible, and impactful,” Zulum stated.

“This decision is anchored in our broader agricultural policy under the Pillar Two of the 25-Year Development Plan and 10-Year Strategic Transformation Initiative of our administration”, he said.

“The first component of this event involves the subsidized sale of both Wet Blend and Dry Blend fertilizers. The Wet Blend fertilizer, being liquid-based, is less prone to misuse and will be distributed specifically in areas experiencing heightened security threats”.

“The Dry Blend fertilizer, which is granular and more storage-friendly, will be delivered to relatively secured locations. This distinction is designed not only for agronomic purposes but also for security management, ensuring fertilizers are not diverted for unauthorized or dangerous uses,” he added.

Governor Zulum emphasized that providing farmers with the fertilizer is essential to restoring livelihoods, enhancing soil fertility, increasing yields, reducing food prices, building household food security and reducing dependency on food importation.

“Let me remind us all that agriculture remains a pillar of peace and progress. And food security is national security. This administration will stop at nothing to empower our farmers, protect our communities and rebuild our local economy through the transformative power of agriculture,” the governor remarked.