Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has called for the use of technology to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure.
Zulum made the call on Thursday in Maiduguri during a Town Hall Meeting on power and telecommunications infrastructure security.
The meeting, organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, brought together stakeholders from different sectors.
He said it had become expedient to digitise the process of protecting critical infrastructure in the country.
“It is difficult and almost impossible to physically provide 24 hours surveillance on all power lines and other critical infrastructure.
“We need to look at the possibility of using available technology to secure our critical infrastructure,” he said.
The governor said that there was the need for mass sensitisation of the citizenry on the need to protect critical infrastructure.
“We need to realise that we owe the nation a moral obligation to protect all government infrastructure round us,” he said.
Zulum said that the meeting was very important following the need to protect the huge investments in infrastructure.
He expressed worry at the electricity outage in parts of the state capital due to the vandalism of power installations.
The governor lauded the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for its concern at addressing the power challenge in the country.
Alhaji Abubakar Umar-Garbai, Shehu of Borno, expressed the readiness of the traditional institution to support the protection of infrastructure in their communities.
Dr Bulama Mali-Gubio, Secretary, Borno Elders Forum, said that power infrastructure vandalism had impacted negatively on the availability of electricity.
“Inadequate electricity supply impacts negatively on the economy, we need to look at alternative power sources.
In his remarks, the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa, reiterated the commitment of the military and other security agencies to protect infrastructure in the North-East.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was moderated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
The meeting featured presentations on the effects of vandalism and the digital economy. (NAN)
