For the first time in the automobile history of the country, the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday inaugurated 50 electric taxis purchased by the Borno State Government along with other mass transit buses.

President Tinubu also announced that the government was planning to set up a plant to handle electric vehicles and thus create employment and ease transportation challenges.

The President who lauded Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state for his foresight and people-oriented policies and projects also inaugurated 107 mass transit vehicles. It was the second phase of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s metro transport scheme.

President Tinubu said:”Your Excellency (Governor Zulum)… this is exactly ‘Hope Renewed’. Thank you for your good job always. Thank you once again for being innovative and creative; for your concern about your people and the good governance you provide”, Tinubu said.

“We are going to take advantage of your foresight and proactiveness to at the sub-national level be able to start an assembly plants and add more value to the economy and bring economic prosperity to our people. You (Zulum) are doing a good job, thank you very much”, the president said.

The scheme was designed to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy withdrawal. Specifically, each of the 107 vehicles was converted to use electricity and gas to enable the use of low-cost energy sources and provide cheap transportation for citizens most of whom are recovering from the destruction caused by the over one decade old Boko Haram insurgency.

The new fleet of buses comprised 35 units of 30-seater gas-powered coaster buses, 12 units of 15-seater gas-powered Hummer buses, 10 units of 50-seater gas-powered mass transit buses and 50 units of 4-seater electric-powered taxi vehicles.

In September, this year, the state government procured 120 buses from which Governor Zulum launched a fleet of 77 buses which were dispatched to over 15 routes within the metropolis and Jere Local Government.

The governor’s transport scheme immediately crashed prices of transportation across Maiduguri.

While private transport means such as Keke Napep charge about N150 per route, Governor Zulum’s buses charge N50.

Speaking at the inauguration, Prof. Zulum said he was motivated to embark on the project following a directive from the president to the governors after removal of fuel subsidy.

His words: “Mr President, after you announced the subsidy removal and your consequent directive to governors to provide immediate palliative, in Borno State we decided to invest massively in a mass transit scheme.”

He said the deployment of 50 electric taxis was the first of its kind in Nigeria and was in line with the realities of climate change.

The president, who was in Maiduguri on his first official visit to the state, paid a courtesy call on the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El-Kanemi and also declared open the annual Chief of Army Staff Conference.

A statement issued by Chief.Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President
,Media & Publicity on Monday said President Tinubu expressed his condolences once again to the families of Nigerians who lost their lives in the recent bombing in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State.

“The president said most of the victims were killed while reciting the Shadada (Islamic declaration of faith) as they observed the Islamic Maulud festival.

“Dozens of civilians were killed in a military drone attack in Kaduna last week. The drone was meant to target terrorists operating in the state.

“They were Nigerians of profound faith and in the moment of the tragedy, they were reciting the Shadada. God Almighty comforts their families as their nation grieves their passage into glory. May their souls rest in eternal peace,” the president prayed.

Speaking at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, Chief Ngelale said the president pledged that the federal government will continue to do all within its powers to provide support and care to the families of all Nigerians affected by the remnants of insecurity in parts of Borno State.

“This is my most sacred responsibility and the trajectory of the larger effort shown by the ratio of victory over defeat has been sliding well in our favour since the new administration has resumed office. We are not satisfied yet. We are not satisfied until we reach the end of insecurity in Nigeria,” the president declared.

According to him, the president declared that under his watch, security issues would remain a top priority, but not limited only to battlefield concerns.

“We will provide better amenities and benefits to our gallant armed forces and their families. We are committed to this and this is factored into the 2024 budget. We will ensure that our administration reflects the grateful heart of the Nigerian people in the way we treat those who make the ultimate sacrifices on our behalf,” the President affirmed.