Barely two days to the Muslim ed-el –ftr Sallah celebration, the Military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe state has imposed a 24-hour curfew in the troubled commercial town of the state.
A statement made available to journalists by the JTF spokesman, Captain Eli Lazarus said the curfew commences from 5th of August 2013 and enjoined residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by remaining indoors until the curfew is lifted.
“The Joint Task Force announces the imposition of 24 hour curfew in Potiskum commencing from today (6th) August 2013
“Residents of Potiskum town are enjoined to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies until the curfew is lifted”
It will be recalled that Yobe state has long being under a dusk to dawn curfew as a strategy to curb the activities of the insurgents and the time got reviewed between the hours of 10:00PM to 6:00 AM daily just a week ago.
Potiskum has over the years remained one of the flash points of the radical Islamists, Boko Haram, since the commencement of the insurgency.
Early this year, the entire state had remained under 24 hour curfew for three days as a measure to trap the sect in their hideouts with the aim of recovering arms and ammunition, a style that has always caused clash between the sect members and security forces.
Military troops were sighted in their hundreds along Maiduguri-Damaturu-Potiskum road hours before the announcement of the curfew was made.
