NIGERIA: Nigeria relaxes a curfew in parts of the northeast where its troops are mounting their biggest offensive yet against militants from the Islamist group Boko Haram

Record ID: 236078

  • Title: NIGERIA: Nigeria relaxes a curfew in parts of the northeast where its troops are mounting their biggest offensive yet against militants from the Islamist group Boko Haram
  • Date: 21st May 2013
  • Summary: MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (MAY 20, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) MILITARY PATROL VAN DRIVES ALONG RESIDENTS SEATED ON A DESERTED STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETIRED SECURITY OFFICER, ALI KUKAWA, SAYING: "If you want to actually discover who are the terrorists you have to wear the type of clothes they wear to mingle with them, you don't put soldiers because soldiers, by looking at them you would know they are officers but if you put on their (Boko Haram) kind of clothes and mingled with them, you will get them but you don't put soldiers.'' FISH SELLER FRYING FISH WHILE CUSTOMERS STAND BY WAITING TO BE SERVED CHILDREN EATING FISH (SOUNDBITE) (Hausa) FISH SELLER, NURA MOHAMMED, SAYING: "The danger is that the soldiers in the process, shoot and bully innocent citizens, this frustrates a lot of our people and make some of them join the terrorists." BUTCHER IBRAHIM ABBA SELLING MEAT (SOUNDBITE) (Hausa) BUTCHER, IBRAHIM ABBA, SAYING: "What we want the state of emergency declared on our state to achieve; we wish that it will finally return peace to our dear state by Allah's grace, but we give thanks to Allah because despite the security issues, we are relatively peaceful here.'' (SOUNDBITE) (Hausa) TRADER, MAMA MAIKOSAI, SAYING:"Well, the business is moving very well as it used to and again we have to close early because of the curfew.'' (SOUNDBITE) (Hausa) LEATHER MANUFACTURER, HASSAN AWAL, SAYING: "You see this emergency rule is good but it has created an outrageous increase in prices of food stuff, for example we are used to buying local rice from the local farmers in the villages but now the farmer cannot bring the rice to the markets so we have to buy foreign rice like dangote rice which is very expensive and to make things worse, the prices have been inflated, but if all these inconveniences is the price for the return of peace then we take in good stead." (SOUNDBITE) (Hausa) COMMUNITY CHIEF, MALLAM GANA, SAYING: "Our appeal to the soldiers is that anyone involved should be dealt with accordingly but please treat the innocent one with leniency." (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETIRED SECURITY OFFICER, ALI KUKAWA, SAYING: ''This is what they don't understand, you cannot impose Islam on the people, it is un-Islamic to do so.'' ALI KUKAWA'S NEPHEW, SAYING (Hausa): ''There has been sharia law in Borno for a long time before now so you cannot impose it again.'' BUSY STREET IN THE MARKET
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVAJ1X5RSDLSQNF1LMNNXUADXQP
  • Story Text: Nigeria relaxed a curfew on Monday (May 20) in parts of the northeast where its troops are mounting their biggest offensive yet against militants from the Islamist group Boko Haram.
    The Nigerian military has sent thousands of extra troops to try to dislodge well-armed Boko Haram fighters from territory they control in remote semi-deserts around Lake Chad, along the borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
    A 24-hour curfew had been imposed since Saturday (May 18) over large parts of the city of Maiduguri and other parts of Borno state, at the heart of the Boko Haram insurgency. The curfew had raised fears of a humanitarian crisis if food supplies were unable to get through.
    But Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, a spokesman for Nigerian forces in Borno, said the curfew had been relaxed and would start at 6 p.m. and end at 7 a.m, declining to give further details.
    Traffic remained at a trickle in Maiduguri, as many frightened residents remained in their homes. But many voiced relief at the easing of the curfew and voiced hope that normal life would return to their area.
    Ali Kukawa, a retired security officer said having identifiable soldiers in the streets was an ineffective way of capturing militants.
    "If you want to actually discover who are the terrorists you have to wear the type of clothes they wear to mingle with them, you don't put soldiers because soldiers, by looking at them you would know they are officers but if you put on their (Boko Haram) kind of clothes and mingled with them, you will get them but you don't put soldiers.'' President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency on Tuesday (may 14) in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, sending thousands of extra troops to the region.
    Nura Mohammed, a fish seller in Maiduguri says locals get caught in the crossfire between militants and soldiers, driving some to support the Islamists.
    "The danger is that the soldiers in the process, shoot and bully innocent citizens, this frustrates a lot of our people and make some of them join the terrorists."
    Another local resident, Ibrahim Abba who is a butcher said people wanted a return of relative peace to the region.
    "What we want the state of emergency declared on our state to achieve; we wish that it will finally return peace to our dear state by Allah's grace, but we give thanks to Allah because despite the security issues, we are relatively peaceful here.'' Others said the relaxation of the curfew had already boosted business. Mama Maikosai, a trader said the curfew instilled after the emergency rule was declared meant she had to close her business early, but said it would now improve.
    "Well, the business is moving very well as it used to and again we have to close early because of the curfew," she said.
    Hassan Awal who is runs a leather manufacturing shop said the curfew had affected food prices.
    "You see this emergency rule is good but it has created an outrageous increase in prices of food stuff, for example we are used to buying local rice from the local farmers in the villages but now the farmer cannot bring the rice to the markets so we have to buy foreign rice like dangote rice which is very expensive and to make things worse, the prices have been inflated, but if all these inconveniences is the price for the return of peace then we take in good stead."
    The operation has targeted areas of Africa's top energy producer where Boko Haram has established bases and weapons dumps.
    War planes were used to destroy some bases in remote rural areas on Friday (May 17).
    The sect is fighting to carve out an Islamist state in Nigeria, a country of 170 million people where around half are Christians and the other half Muslims.
    Thousands have been killed since Boko Haram launched its uprising in 2009.
    "This is what they don't understand, you cannot impose Islam on the people, it is un-Islamic to do so," Ali Kakuwa said.
    "There has been sharia law in Borno for a long time before now so you cannot impose it again," Ali Kakuwa's nephew added.
    Jonathan offered an amnesty on Sunday to any Boko Haram militants who lay down their weapons and surrender, although analysts say the state of emergency will further complicate efforts to resolve the conflict through dialogue.
    He has won support for taking decisive action, although many doubt whether Boko Haram, adept at going into hiding under pressure then resurfacing, can be defeated militarily.
    The United States, European Union and rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are concerned the state of emergency will enable Nigeria's military to commit abuses against civilians.
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