Insurgency destroyed over 5,000 schools in Borno — Zulum

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has said more than 5,000 school structures were destroyed during the insurgency that ravaged the state for over a decade.

Zulum disclosed this on Sunday in Maiduguri while commissioning newly completed projects, including schools, a flyover and roads.

He said the insurgency also disrupted the education of millions of children, with an estimated 2.2 million out of school at the peak of the crisis, while fewer than 500,000 were enrolled.

“Many teachers and school administrators lost their lives in the course of duty,” the governor added.

The projects commissioned included the Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School, Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School, the Post Office nine-span flyover and the dualisation of a 2.5-kilometre road from Budum Tandari Junction to Kasuwan Shanu, alongside five kilometres of drainage.

Zulum said the reconstruction of schools was not limited to providing physical infrastructure but was also aimed at restoring access to education and rebuilding confidence in communities affected by the insurgency.

He disclosed that his administration invested N46.98bn in basic and secondary education between the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.

According to him, the investment formed part of a broader programme involving 136 completed projects awaiting commissioning.

The governor said the number of usable classrooms in public pre-primary and primary schools had risen to 5,792, while usable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities increased to 4,563.

At the senior secondary level, he said the number of functional schools grew from 34 across eight local government areas in 2019 to 129 across 25 local government areas in 2026.

Zulum also reported a significant increase in school enrolment, from 766,551 learners in 2019 to 1,801,295 in 2026.

He said the increase of more than one million learners reflected expanded access, improved public confidence and sustained investment in the education sector.

“These indicators demonstrate the scale of our efforts to expand educational access, restore infrastructure and improve the learning environment for our children,” he said.