…Inaugurates first electric taxis in Borno
President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, once again expressed his condolences to the families of Nigerians who lost their lives in the recent Kaduna bombing mishap in Tudun-Biri, after commissioning a fleet of 107 gas, electric-powered buses as well as taxis in the second phase of Governor Babagana Zulum’s metro transport scheme in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday.
Speaking at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn-Umar Garbai Al-Amin el-Kanemi, the President, who was in Maiduguri for this year’s ‘Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference’, said most of the victims were Nigerians of profound faith, and in the moment of the tragedy tragically lost their lives while reciting the Shahada as they observed Maulud, a central statement of faith for practising Muslims.
“God Almighty comforts their families as their nation grieves their passage into glory. May their souls rest in eternal peace”, the President prayed.
Tinubu further 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 stated.
The President declared that under his watch, security issues would remain a top priority, but not limited only to battlefield concerns.
On his part, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn-Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, urged the President to deliver his infrastructural interventions to areas that have been hard hit by insurgency over the years.
The President, also yesterday in Maiduguri, commissioned a fleet of 107 gas and electric-powered buses as well as taxis in the second phase of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s metro transport scheme, which aims to cushion effects of fuel subsidy withdrawal. The commissioning ceremony took place around the Shehu of Borno’s Palace.
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.
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, Zulum’s buses charge N50.
