Boko Haram Serves Jakana, Mainok Towns A Quit Notice
Residents of Jakana and Mainok towns of Borno State located along Maiduguri - Damaturu road linking Jos - Kano - Kaduna - Abuja road have alerted Secuirty agencies in Maiduguri that Boko Haram insurgents have served them with a quit notice to vacate their towns or get killed.
Sources in Jakana town told The Nigerian Voice in Maiduguri Tuesday night that the Boko Haram insurgents just entered Jakana town qiuetly and dropped letters asking them to leave the town or face attack from today Wednesday which informed the closure of the road since Tuesday. On Wednesday, the road was opened to motorists and riders but were advised against passing through the road from Potialum axis to Maiduguri axis spanning over 250 kilometers.
It will be recalled that since Wednesday morning two fighter jets of the NAF, Military and police vehiclea have been patrolling the said road in surveillance up to this afternoon beifee the road was opened to motorists.
A resident of Jakana and petty trader , Hashimu Mai Tenure said, " This may not be unconnected with the Auno attack because after the attack at Auno, the boko Haram insurgents sent us in Jakana Tuesday night a letter asking us (residents) of Jakana to vacate the town, latest by Wednesday (Today)."
It was also gathered that since Wednesday morning combined Secuirty Forces conducted house-to-house search in both Jakana and adjourning Mainok town of Kaga local government area of the state.
A commercial driver and member of NURTW Ali Adamu Gashua saud ," We have been Stranded since morning because of the BHT's message in Jakana and Mainok."
"We saw secuirty vehicles passing through the road since early morning uptil now they are not back. We also heard that all the roads are blocked by Secuirty forces.
"Nobody goes out and nobody comes into Maiduguri through the Potiskum Damaturu road.. We can not ply the road. We are stopped at Njimtilo military check point as the highway was shutdown by the military.
Military and SARS sources in Maiduguri said "We are working based on information we gathered from our intelligence sources. The operation is to save lives. It is in the interest of the people, especially, the motorits. So, until we are through with our operation, the restrictions of vehicles will be lifted".
Visits to Borno Express motor park and Njimtilo motor park as well as Legacy Garden motorpark showns that hundreds of passengers and motorists are stranded.
However, the Spokesman of Operation Lafiya Dole, Theater Command Headquarters, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu said in statement Wednesday that, Army did not close the road but was only carrying out a clearance and snap checks operations in the general area to clear suspected Boko Haram terrorists along that road.
“Our attention has been drawn to rumours that the Nigerian Army has closed Maiduguri-Damaturu road. This is not true.
“What is happening is an ongoing clearance and snap checks operations in the general area required to clear suspected Boko Haram terrorists along that road.
“The clearance operation is ultimately for the safety and security of motorists and other road users".
The statement however advised members of the public to cooperate and bear with the troops as they carry out these duties.