By Sam Kayode
Borno State Government has shut down the burial grounds in Maiduguri with effect from September 1 and directed residents to alternative resting places for their loved ones.
A statement signed by Permanent Secretary, Borno State Ministry of Religious Affairs, Mohammad Abubakar, disclosed that Christians would now bury their loved ones in the Baga road cemetery by the prison while muslims will move to the Dalori cemetery.
The statement also disclosed that the government “wishes to inform the general public of the closure of the Gwange Muslim Cemetery along Bama Road and the Christian Cemetery at Old G.R.A., Maiduguri, effective Sunday, 1st September 2024.
“This decision has been made due to the congestion of the cemeteries, the attendant health hazards to the community, and earlier recommendations made to the government by relevant stakeholders.
“The government has arranged for the Muslim community to use the Dalori Cemetery along Bama Road, while the Christian community are to use the Maximum Security Christian Cemetery off Baga Road, Maiduguri.
“The Borno State Government is committed to ensuring that more burial sites are opened as the town expands in line with the Government Development Plan.
“The government assures the good people of the state that adequate arrangements will be made in the short and long term to address all concerns”, said Abubakar
Meanwhile, the ministry of religious affairs has purchased six vehicles to assist the general public in conveying corpses to the designated graveyards, and plans are underway to purchase more vehicles in the near future.
