-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –Our Correspondent:

Borno State Government said about N132 million is expended monthly on members of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters and vigilantes from the local government fund to secure the state from Boko Haram.

The state said already 12,735 members of CJTF, hunters and vigilantes have been deployed to 25 of the 27 local government areas of the state.

Borno Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Alhaji Sugun Mai-Mele who addressed the media on Saturday, disclosed that in the two other local government areas of Maiduguri and Jere, both metropolitan, the state government directly handle the deployment and payment.

Mai-Mele recounting the achievements of Prof. Babagana Zulum in the last one year in the state, said the state government picks a bill of N131,940,000 monthly on the state’s introduced security outfits.

The Commissioner also disclosed that N29 million has been spent on upgrading and furnishing each of the palaces of Shehus of Bama and Dikwa.

He said: “Construction and upgrading of Emir’s Wing at the Palace of His Royal Highness, the Emir of Biu. The project had reached 90% completion.

“Furnishing of the palaces of His Royal Highnesses, the Shehu of Dikwa and Bama. Before the coming of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara, most social infrastructure at the local government areas were destroyed and vandalized by insurgents. The infrastructures were renovated by the State Government, hence the ministry was mandated to upgrade and furnish the two palaces with a view to return them back to their palaces.”

Mai-Mele also revealed that N270 million has been spent on 60,000 bags of fertilizers which are to be distributed to farmers in the state.

He added that an approval for the allocation of 134 units of farm tractors to the local government areas was granted by the governor.