Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday in Maiduguri, announced government’s allocation of 259 houses and the release of N110m to the Nigerian Police Force in the state.
Zulum made the announcement during the commissioning of Borno’s branch of the Nigerian Police Force Microfinance Bank (NPFM Bank).
The Microfinance bank is designed to provide financial services to aid small and medium enterprises for police families, their affiliates and civilians in Borno State.
The Bank’s unveiling in Maiduguri was attended by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali.
Before the unveiling, Zulum explained that the allocation of over 259 houses to the police was meant to compensate the state command for government’s use of some portions of land belonging to the police, for development of some infrastructures in the state capital.
On the N110 million he announced, the governor said that 50% of it, which amounts to N55m, was Borno’s contribution as share deposit aimed at enhancing the bank’s operations at the starting stage.
The rest amount of N55m, Zulum further explained, was to be used in supporting families of police personnel in two ways.
The first, Zulum said, was the use of N25 million to be shared to families of police personnel who died in active service.
He ordered that the money be deposited in an account dedicated to educational needs of children left behind by the fallen police personnel.
The balance of N30 million, the governor said, will be deposited into a credit services account for the purpose of supporting policewomen serving across Borno State.
Zulum commended IGP Alkali for unveiling Borno’s branch of the bank which he said, indicated the IGP’s prioritization of police welfare.
In his remarks, the IGP thanked the governor for his generosity to the Nigerian Police Force.
He recalled that Borno was the only state “that got six armoured personnel carriers and handed them over to the police in Borno State”.
The governor alongside the IGP, the bank’s board members and some top police officers, unveiled the branch by a symbolic cutting of a tape.
