By Kareem Haruna,
The Tuesday night suicide attack has caused the military in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, to review the existing curfew time upward by 30 minutes.
For about two months now, residents of Maiduguri were allowed to move freely from 6am to 9pm. But with the nocturnal attack on a military checkpoint point by two suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers, which claimed the life of a soldier, the curfew has now been shifted to commence from 9pm to 6am.
According to a statement made available to journalists by Colonel Tukur Gusau, who is the Deputy Director Army Public Relations for 7 Division Nigeria Army, strict restrictions must be in force during the curfew.
"As a result of the unfortunate incidence of Tuesday night in Maiduguri town, It is imperative to call on the residents of Maiduguri to comply strictly with the curfew period from 9pm to 6am.
"Any movement within the curfew period will not be tolerated. All security agencies have been directed to ensure maximum complience".
Maiduguri town which now hosts nearly a million more people that came in as IDPs has before the last Ramadan fasting month of Muslims been under 7pm to 6am curfew for about three years running. The restriction, though taken as a measure to save lives from Boko Haram terrorists attacks, had killed the robust night life and business known of the city.
When government eventually relaxed the curfew by two and half (2,1/2) hours the residents jubilated to the return of night life. And with the increasing calm returning to the city even the security operatives would sometimes overlook movements beyond 9:30pm.
It was in that relaxes mood that two suicide bombers attempted to annihilate a whole deployment of soldiers at a military checkpoint. Lucky, only one of them was affected.
Going forward, soldiers would be more strict and tough on violators of curfew hours. And the days of many late home goers sleeping outside near the checkpoints are expected to return. Sad.
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