Professor Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, has banned the sale of alcoholic beverages within the state.
The governor made the declaration Tuesday in the council chambers of the government house in Maiduguri, the state capital, during the inauguration of a reformed committee on “revocation of illegal hotels, brothels, shanties, and criminal hideouts and curbing the menace of antisocial vices.”
In order to rid the state of all criminal activity and antisocial vices in the Maiduguri city and its environs, Zulum also reorganised and strengthened the committee.
The governor said the ban on sales and consumption of liquor and alcoholic contents stems from the rising cases of clashes among rival groups, cultism, prostitution, drug abuse, thuggery and theft, which have led to loss of lives and valuables.
He also co-opted the military, police, civil defence, and several other security agencies, including the civilian JTF, to join the committee for a holistic approach.
He also stated that former and current serving personnel of the Nigerian security forces have played a significant role in influencing the civilian populace into criminality, radicalism, prostitution and other vices, heightening terrorism threats in the state.
“I am happy to know that army officers are here, especially the military, police, and others are here because most of these activities were committed by whom? Some of them are dismissed army officers, dismissed security officers, current army officers, men and officers, including civilians.
“So, there should be no sacred cow in this matter if we want the Maiduguri metropolis and indeed the state to get rid of insurgency, terrorism and other sorts of criminalities,” Zulum said.