In neighboring Yobe State, it is not
clear how many soldiers were deployed but residents said shortly after
the declaration of state of emergency, stop and search operations have
been intensified in the state capital while movement have been
restricted in other places.
Residents said the deployment of the
federal troops, including the army, navy, air force and operatives of
the State Security Service (SSS) began at the weekend.
“We started sensing danger on Saturday
when we saw military trucks conveying soldiers to the Joint Task Force
(JTF) headquarters along Pompomari area,” Usman Jika, a resident of
Maiduguri said.
“By Sunday morning, so many roadblocks
have sprung up in the state capital and there was noticeable cordon and
search of houses by new faces (soldiers),” he said.
A resident of Kumshe, one of the red
spots in Maiduguri said his neighbour was beaten to pulp on Sunday when
soldiers besieged the areas and forced all the people out of their
houses.
“All the soldiers that came to the
neighborhood appeared new in the town, some of them said it is now time
for ‘fire for fire” he said.
Another resident said he saw military
aircrafts landing at the Maiduguri International Airport and the air
strip at the Air Force base in the state capital.
“A lot of fighting equipment have been
deployed to Maiduguri,” Hajja Maimuna, a resident of Gomari, whose
house is close to the Air Force base said.
“We are really terrified because the
military operatives coming to Maiduguri in the last two days far
outnumbered those that came during the previous emergency rule,” she
said.
“Even though the state governor has
not been removed, which is good, the truth is that Maiduguri is now a
garrison town, full of angry soldiers who are ready to kill at the
slightest provocation. The deployment will definitely hamper social and
economic life of the people,” she said.
Source: Daily Trust
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