Military Relax Five-Hour Curfew Amid Vehicular Restrictions In Maiduguri

THE military has continued to enforce the 24-hour curfew in Maiduguri metropolis of Borno state, as only a “five-hour relax” was allowed yesterday to enable tens of thousands of residents to walk to their mosques and local markets to pray and buy food for the weekend.

The five-hour curfew relaxation was contained in a statement by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 7 Division of Nigerian Army, Col. Tukur Gusau, and made available to newsmen in Maiduguri yesterday.

Gusau in the statement also said that the short and temporary lift of curfew in the metropolis was only for yesterday, between the hours of 12 noon and 5pm.

It reads in part: “The 24-hour curfew currently in place is practically lifted for only today (Friday) from 1200 hrs (12pm) to1700 hrs (5pm). However, restrictions on all vehicular movements are still being enforced, until the security situation improves.”

Motor parks, markets, schools, the Musa Usman Secretariat complex, Maiduguri that houses tens of thousands of civil servants, however remained closed as at the time of filing this report.

Residents continue to remain in their houses, with the exception of a few members of various communities in Bulunkutu,
Abaganaram, Zajer Gwange, Gomari, Madaganari, Polo, Bolori and Ruwan Zafi wards along the Maiduguri-Dikwa road who trekked to various mosques for yesterday’s afternoon prayers.

Motorists and other travelers to Maiduguri, and the ones commuting to other towns and cities from the metropolis, were however trapped at Benisheikh town, 72 kilometres west of the state capital because of last Thursday’s 24-hour curfew imposed by the military over the barrack attack that claimed 24 lives on Wednesday evening.

“The chaotic situation and frustrations of motorists and  travellers at Benisheikh, is very pathetic. Many of us could not find food and water to take since last Wednesday when we were stopped by soldiers at this bridge because of Boko Haram attacks and bombings in Maiduguri,” said Hamisu Bukar, a truck driver, said in a telephone interview yesterday.