Nigerian Millitary Restricts Vehicular Movement Maiduguri, Borno State

The Nigerian military on Tuesday imposed restriction on vehicular movement in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, in order to check any security breach.

Also, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, have urged Nigerians to remain security conscious as they celebrate Christmas and prepare for the New Year.

The military in a statement said the decision was made following security reports at its disposal.

A statement signed by the Army Public Relations Officer, Headquarters of the 7 Division, the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Col. Sani Usman, claimed that there was a concerted effort by the Boko Haram sect to unleash terror on some parts of Borno State, particularly in the Maiduguri metropolis, during the Christmas celebration.

The statement which was made available to journalists on Tuesday said the Nigerian Army, Division 7, Maiduguri, in consultation with the Borno State government and other security agencies had decided to ban all forms of vehicular movement in the state from 6pm on Wednesday, December 24, to 7am on Sunday, December 28, 2014.

The statement however added that the directive excluded those on essential services, such as medical services, fire service and the media who were duly authorised by their establishments.

It also explained that the measure became necessary in order to further safeguard lives and properties of law-abiding citizens in the state.

The military also wished the people of the state a hitch-free celebration. It also appealed to the members of the public to be more vigilant and security conscious throughout the period and report any suspicious person or movement to the nearest security agency.

It assured all law abiding citizens that the military was doing all it could to root out terrorists from the society while calling for continued support and understanding in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in the state and the country at large.

Atiku, in a goodwill message by his media office in Abuja on Wednesday, said that irrespective of the difficult challenges facing the country, Christians and indeed all Nigerians should celebrate the Yuletide with hope and prayers that God would heal our land.

“Our country is in trouble of maladministration marked by insecurity, but we should still celebrate Christmas with hope, because it is a season of joy. We should celebrate it with prayers and deep reflections. God will heal our land and we shall prosper again,’’ the former Vice President said.

Atiku urged Nigerians irrespective of their faith to promote peace and harmonious coexistence for the unity, stability, progress and development of our nation.

He wished Nigerians and all the people of goodwill a merry Christmas.

Oshiomhole, in a message on Tuesday, said that the state government had updated payment of workers’ salaries, at a time when many states were unable to pay salaries in arrears of three to four months.

The governor advised Nigerians to rise above ethnicity, religious preference and clannish inclinations used by unpatriotic persons to exploit and divide them.

He also urged them not to forget that poverty and bad governance were not defined by religion or ethnicity but by inefficient leadership.

“Despite the economic hardship and lean resources accruing to the state from the federation account, the good news is that the state government has paid all workers in the state civil service, including the teachers and their salaries for December 2014 to enable them to enjoy the Yuletide with their loved ones.

“This is in contrast to what obtains in many states of the federation, especially the Peoples Democratic Party-controlled states, where workers are being owed salaries in arrears of three, four months and even, in some cases, up to eight months.”