Nigeria ’ s military on Tuesday restored
the mobile phone service in the embattled city of Maiduguri , a day
after a major raid by Islamists which prompted a round – the – clock ban
on movements.
The phones were switched off in May
when a state of emergency was declared in the area , a move the military
said would help block Boko Haram from coordinating attacks in the
northeastern city.
“The telephone lines in and out of
Maiduguri were switched on… They should be working now , ” defence
spokesman Chris Olukolade told AFP but he added : “I cannot say how long
this will last. ”
It was not clear if service had been restored across Borno state, of which Maiduguri is the capital.
Several calls made from Lagos to
Maiduguri went through on Tuesday and Olukolade said the decision was
made “ because the situation on the ground is conducive ”.
That explanation raised questions ,
however , as it came a day after a daring Boko Haram attack on air force
and army bases in the city that caused heavy damage to
military hardware.
Maiduguri residents voiced
frustration Tuesday morning over the impact of the order to remain
indoors , saying it left families without access to food and water .
“We are being punished unnecessarily
, ” said Gambo Datti, a grocery seller and resident of the Damboa road
neighbourhood. “I have a wife and five children . As I am talking to you
now , we have nothing for lunch , ” he added .
The Borno state government has
announced the relaxation of the curfew , ordering residents to stay off
the streets from 7 :00 pm ( 1800 GMT) to 6 : 00 am .
Maiduguri had been the epicentre of the four- year Boko Haram insurgency, which has cost thousands of lives .
The city had become safer in recent
months and the military claimed the Islamist rebels had been largely
chased out of their historic stronghold.
But experts said the Monday attack
served as a clear reminder that the insurgent group remained strong and
was still capable of attacking major urban centres.
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