Scrap dealers in Borno State have pushed back against Governor Babagana Zulum, refusing to accept his claim that scavengers stole cables from a power line worth three billion naira. The traders said the governor should come forward with concrete evidence before pointing fingers at people who earn a living from collecting metal waste. They argue that accusing an entire trade group without proof tars honest workers with the same brush. The disputed cable, according to the governor, belonged to a major electricity project whose cost has been put at about N3bn. Cable theft has become a stubborn drain on power infrastructure across Nigeria, often leaving whole communities without supply for weeks. Zulum has built a reputation in Borno for inspecting projects personally and calling out failures publicly, which is likely why the allegation landed hard. The dealers' challenge now puts the ball back in the government's court to substantiate the claim or walk it back. How the state responds could shape the working relationship between scrap collectors and the authorities for some time.