Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum says metal scavengers have stolen electrical materials and infrastructure in the state, including all wires from a power line project valued at about ₦3 billion. He says the losses amount to billions of naira and include components linked to electricity distribution efforts.
Zulum adds that the scale of theft and related security concerns lead the state government to ban scrap metal trading. Outlets describe the scavengers as “Ajakuta” in Hausa, with reports agreeing the theft involved power infrastructure materials rather than smaller-scale incidents. The coverage frames the ban as a response aimed at preventing further damage and sustaining public infrastructure projects.
While the reporting differs in emphasis—some stress the overall billions lost to scavenging, others focus specifically on the ₦3bn power line wires—the underlying account is consistent across sources: stolen metal is linked to disrupted power infrastructure, and the state is tightening rules on scrap metal trade to reduce the problem.
