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.”
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