Businesses pick up in North-East, as normalcy returns

Several months after the Nigerian military recaptured communities under the control of Boko Haram militants in Yobe State, life has gradually returned to the once deserted towns and villages. As a result of this development, businesses are picking up slowly. Investigation by Daily Trust on Sunday on some of the liberated areas reveals that over […]

Several months after the Nigerian military recaptured communities under the control of Boko Haram militants in Yobe State, life has gradually returned to the once deserted towns and villages. As a result of this development, businesses are picking up slowly.
Investigation by Daily Trust on Sunday on some of the liberated areas reveals that over 60 per cent of the internally displaced persons have returned home.
In Goniri town, one of the former Boko Haram strongholds, it was observed that over 60 per cent of the people have returned. But sources of livelihood have been grounded as basic infrastructures were completely destroyed.
However, the state government had rehabilitated boreholes and distributed food items to the returnees to help sustain them before farming activities pick up.
Our correspondent also observed that some of the returnees have engaged in different businesses, according to their capital strengths.
Mallam Modu, a bread baker who fled Goniri town two years ago but has returned to his bakery business said, “We make sales in thousands. Sometimes we make N15,000 to N20,000 daily, depending on the market condition. Most people here don’t have money to spend, some will come pleading with you to give them on credit, and they are not credit worthy. So, in order to avoid bankruptcy, we became very strict. We are just doing the business to feed ourselves.”
Modu lamented that the Boko Haram militants had overused the bakery before soldiers liberated the town, destroying the baking tools and equipment in the process. “We must overhaul the factory – renovate the oven, buy new bread moulds and some other equipment,’’ he said.
He revealed that most of the returnees had no option than to rely on government for food and other basic needs before engaging in farming activities this season.
In Gujba, another liberated town, the weekly market that was closed down for two years has re-opened. Buyers and sellers were seen transacting businesses in mobile shops. Hawkers also displayed their wares in the streets.
Hajja Kaltume, who was a local restaurateur, was seen frying beans cake (akara) at the Thursday market. She told Daily Trust  on Sunday that she had lost everything to the Boko Haram insurgency. “The militants chased us out of Gujba; that was how my restaurant business crumbled. I used the capital to secure accommodation in Damaturu and feed my family,” she said.
Some of the returnees also engage in local craft, including calabash carving, cap knitting and sales.
Goni Katarko said the people had specialised in the local craft business for several decades. “It is the second major occupation of our people, after farming. The business sustained a lot of families here before insurgency started. We hope the business would flourish as before,” he said. 
 In Potiskum, virtually all the businesses that were shut down at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency have begun picking up, with the exception of banks. The Muhammad Idrissa Way, which served as the hub of various businesses in Potiskum, has also been re-opened. Normalcy is returning in shops and roadside businesses.
Suleiman Gimba, a resident of the area, told our reporter that since the road was re-opened, the glory of business in the area was fast returning.
“When this road was blocked, many businesses suffered. Shops were closed, motorists stopped patronising markets for lack of easy access, and roadside traders were banned. But since this road was re-opened, economic activities are recovering fast and giving employment to hundreds of idle residents,” Gimba said.
He, however, noted that the refusal of banks to resume operation in the town had impeded the smooth flow of business. “We only have two banks currently operating in the town. The rest were closed down in the heat of the insurgency. We hope they would reconsider to open again and the support the other two,’’ he said.
In Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, the weekly market was shut down by the military to prevent a possible infiltration by Boko Haram militants. But it has been re-opened. Buyers and sellers converge on the market on Sundays to transact businesses.
Mallam Badu Geidam, a fruits and vegetable seller, said transactions had improved tremendously in the market.
In part of Adamawa farmers were also not spared by the crisis as they abandoned their farms and ran for safety. A mechanised farmer who did not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent that they were yet to recover from the losses they recorded, adding that government is not ready to support them. 
“I was doing very well in poultry, animal husbandry and other aspects of farming before this insurgency started. Over 50 workers and many corps members used to serve in my farm, but look at where we are today. I lost virtually everything: the cattle, chickens and the grains. There was much destruction in the farm structures. Unfortunately, up till this time, government has not consulted us to know the extent of loss we incurred, let alone provide us with any form of assistance to start again,” he said.
Furthermore, commercial activities have resumed in Mubi since the Nigerian military recaptured the town in 2015. Some residents said the population of the town had increased.
Since the return of displaced residents, businesses started picking up gradually as security situation improved in the area. Markets in the town and surrounding villages which were closed are now operating.
Business has also picked up at the International Cattle Market in Mubi, where traders come from various African countries, including Mali, Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
Trucks conveying different sizes of cattle were seen arriving at the market while buyers and middlemen were busy with transactions.
Similarly, activities at the central market were impressive. Various sections of the market were filled with buyers. Residents flocked to the market to buy commodities, including grains, foreign foodstuff, textiles, spices and jewellery. Some construction work was ongoing as shops destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents were being rebuilt.
The chairman of the Mubi branch of the Adamawa State Chamber of Commerce, Comrade Abdulkadir Musa, said more than 130 shops destroyed in the market when Boko Haram annexed the area, were being rebuilt by the Adamawa State government.
He said more traders were rebuilding their businesses in the market, having lost everything they worked for to insurgency.
Musa, however, noted that despite the impressive progress recorded at the cattle market, the recent slump of the naira at the parallel market is affecting transactions because cattle are imported from neighbouring countries.
He further observed that cattle trade in Mubi had been boosted by the fact that markets in parts of Borno and Madagali no longer operate. According to him, northern and central parts of Adamawa now rely on Mubi for supply.
He lauded the efforts of Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla at rebuilding the burnt shops and working towards upgrading the market.
Jauro Tukur, a cattle trader, told Daily Trust on Sunday that his business was affected by the recent fall of the naira because he bought cattle from Cameroon. He said the situation ultimately led to low profit.
He called on the state and federal governments respectively to compensate those who lost their businesses as a result of insecurity in the North-East, saying the gesture would enable them regain their economic lives.
“Government at all levels should come to the aid of those who lost their businesses due to insurgency. This has become necessary because it was not their fault,” he said.
In Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, commercial activities are fast returning. Between 2012 and 2013, almost all the industries in Maiduguri were forced to stop production, but now, a few of them like Haske Sweet and Confectionaries, Coca Cola and Maiduguri Flour Mills, have resumed skeletal production.
Traders who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, however, said that cross border trade, which makes up over 80 per cent of their transactions, is yet to resume because the borders are still closed.