Yobe gov’t purchases, upgrades hunters’ residence after two decades of renting
Story by Sa’adatu MAINA, Damaturu
Yobe State Government has officially inaugurated a newly renovated accommodation for the state’s hunters’ group, transforming a dilapidated property rented for two decades into a modern and habitable facility.
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The project was unveiled by the Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni on Security Matters, Brigadier General Abdussalam (rtd), who stated that the government approved funds to completely overhaul the building, which was previously deemed unfit for human habitation.
“We are happy now that the hunters live in a habitable accommodation, because what was there before was unfit for human habitation,” Abdussalam said during the inauguration.
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He revealed that the property, originally a three-bedroom house that the government had rented for the past 20 years, has now been purchased and extensively remodelled. The facility currently features 13 rooms capable of housing between 180 and 240 people, new fencing, and a conference hall named in honour of Governor Mai Mala Buni.
He outlined a robust welfare package provided by the state government, underscoring the hunters’ critical role in maintaining peace in the region. He noted that all members have been enrolled in the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Scheme (YOCHMA) and receive monthly stipends and regular feeding.
“Anytime they go on special operations, they are given allowances as an incentive to do their job,” he added.
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Abdussalam further explained that the government takes responsibility for the families of members killed in action and covers medical treatment and compensation for those injured. Operationally, the state supplies the group with essential equipment, including uniforms, kits, weapons, ammunition, and vehicles.
He stressed, however, that while the group is vital to security, they operate strictly under the command and control of the Nigerian Army.
Highlighting their impact, the adviser credited the hunters alongside the military for the sustained peace in the state since an attempted Boko Haram incursion into Damaturu in December 2019. “They are doing a lot, and that is why we can sleep peacefully,” he stated.
The Yobe State Commander of the Hunters Group, Idriss Buba, expressed deep gratitude to the state government for purchasing and rehabilitating the building, a property the group had rented for over two decades.
While appreciative of the development, he appealed for further interventions, including the construction of a borehole for clean water, additional buildings to expand capacity, and a new mosque to serve the members.
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