The Borno State Government has initiated a planned relocation of the popular Bulumkuttu ‘Yan Nono traders in Maiduguri to a safer, more organised business environment.

The move through the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) is aimed at improving safety and order through a dialogue with the traders.

According to a statement issued by BOGIS, the engagement with market leaders commenced on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, with the primary goal of protecting traders and commuters along the busy Kano-Jos Road.

The government’s move is a direct response to the increasing number of traders operating dangerously close to the highway and reports of rising unauthorised activities in the area.

Engr Adam Bukar Bababe, the Executive Secretary of BOGIS, affirmed that the relocation is essential to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s urban renewal drive.

“The relocation plan is in your best interest. The government will build new stalls for you in a safer and more structured place where your businesses can continue to thrive,” Engr Bababe assured the market leadership during the meeting.

He further clarified that the government is not displacing anyone but rather providing a more secure market where businesses can grow without disruption.

Bababe directed the association’s executives to compile a list of all members, including those without current shops, for inclusion in the new site arrangement.

The market leadership expressed full cooperation with the government’s plan. The Association’s Secretary, Kabiru Abubakar, acknowledged the growing challenges.

Chairman Husaini Ali, who has traded at the spot for over twenty years, described the planned relocation as “necessary”.

“We have increased in number to the point that the designated space can no longer contain us.

We are concerned about safety because this is a highway,” Mr Ali noted, adding, “If the government relocates us to a secure and organised place, we will accept it.”

Traders appealed for the construction of additional shops to accommodate members currently operating under makeshift umbrellas.

This commercial hub has been active for over two decades, originally serving as a major centre for selling traditional fermented milk (nono) and providing livelihoods for women and youths selling fura (millet dough balls).