Boko Haram: Damaturu market shut by soldiers

Thousands of villagers and traders were on Sunday chased out of the Damaturu Sunday market where a female suicide bomber killed twenty people exactly a week ago.
The decision to close the market may not be unconnected with last Sunday’s attack.
Most of the traders that came from far to attend the market were stranded on arrival at the market as stern looking soldiers blocked all the entrances into the market and prevented them from off-loading their goods for sale.
Our correspondent gathered that some traders who gained entry into the market early and began transactions were chased out by the security agents at about 8.30 am.
Hamisu Auwal who sells chicken close to the entrance of the market said that he was lucky to have escaped the wrath of the soldiers whom according to him, came in a commando style and started chasing people out of the market.
“ I was selling my market and suddenly saw some soldiers drove in a hilux on high speed into the market. I didn’t know what was happening but I thought because of the last suicide attack, they only came to protect people in the market. To my surprise, I heard them shouting, get out! Get out! Everybody get out. I quickly grab some of my chickens on the ground and took to my heels,” Auwal narrated.
There were reports that some of the traders were brutalized by the soldiers while chasing them out of the market which could not be independently verified.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman Traders Association in Yobe State Usman Muazu regretted the action of the security agents.
He noted that the action of the security could be for the welfare of the people but stressed that an announcement would have been made at least 48 hours before the day of the market so as to avoid the loss incurred by the traders.
Muazu said that his members got rumours that about eight markets in the state would be closed but there was no official announcement on the matter.
He listed some of the market billed for closing as: Kukareta; Damaturu; Ngelzarma; Nanawaji; Katarko; Mafa; Sasawa and Banbangida.
An impeccable military source informed that a decision was reached between the Yobe State Government and the JTF on the closure of the markets and the state government was to make the announcement.
Both the office of the Secretary to Yobe State Government and the office of the Director of Press to Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam denied knowledge of any information on the closure.
The Director Security in State Yakubu Damagum in a telephone call with our correspondent said he is not aware of any meeting with security operatives in the state relating to the closure of the market.

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