Fear of insurgents still affecting fish business in Borno

The tasty dried fish from Borno State popularly known as the ‘Baga dried fish’ that disappeared from the market about three years ago, following the Boko Haram insurgency in the state has started appearing in the famous Baga road fish market in Maiduguri, the state capital, though not enough to revive the business. Baga has […]

The tasty dried fish from Borno State popularly known as the ‘Baga dried fish’ that disappeared from the market about three years ago, following the Boko Haram insurgency in the state has started appearing in the famous Baga road fish market in Maiduguri, the state capital, though not enough to revive the business.
Baga has for several years been the hub for fish business not only for the Nigerian markets but also for merchants coming to buy truckloads from neighbouring Chad, Cameroun, Niger and the Central African republic.
One of the fish merchants from Cameroun, Elhaj Bouba Ahmodou, told this reporter at the fish market in Maiduguri that he came from Garua in Cameroun to buy three truckloads of fish about eight days ago following official announcement that all routes in the state had been opened to commercial vehicles.
“I am disappointed to discover that the road to Baga has not been opened and I got less than a pick-up load. You know Baga fish is really sweet. All my customers in Cameroun like it more than fish from elsewhere. In addition to being from natural water, it is very tasty. I want to wait a few more days in case they will bring more for me to buy,” he said.
Ahmodou said the price of the few dried fish sold by retailers at the market was too high for him to buy and sell as he may not make any profit after paying transport. He said he would definitely return as soon as the road to Baga was opened to commercial vehicles.
But when contacted, the secretary of the fish producers and marketers association, Alhaji Mu’azu Isa Madi, said though the road to Baga was not yet officially opened by government, fishing activity was going on but on a skeletal basis at Baga by some few fishermen residing there.
“We understand they have dried up a lot of fish and are waiting for the road to be officially opened so that we can bring their consignments to Maiduguri. Some of them will take small quantity and bring it out through the bush paths. That is what you are seeing in the market. We are also getting fish from Gamboru.
“We, however, screen all those supplying this market with fish to make sure they are not linked to insurgents.
“If the military can afford to escort trucks to Baga to bring the fish in stock, we shall have enough to even sell outside the state. We also plead with the state government to give fishermen fishing nets and soft loans to enable them to go back to business as most of our members cannot even go back to the business after the insurgency because we have lost a lot to the attacks,” he said.