Fear gripped motorists and travellers along the popular Kano-Damaturu-Maiduguri highway on Friday evening as the road was abandoned following speculations that the members of the Boko Haram sect were unleashing terror on the people in particular parts of the road.
Sources revealed to our correspondent on the phone that hundreds of travellers and motorists from the Damaturu end of the road had to make a U-turn to the neighbouring Yobe State as rumour went round that the insurgents had again blocked the Maiduguri-Beneshiek axis of the road.
An eyewitness, who was travelling on the road to Maiduguri, said he saw many motorists and vehicle speed off to Damaturu in fear when they were told “the road was bad,” an apparent reference to the insecurity around the area.
He said, “We hurriedly reversed and returned to Damaturu, 30 minutes after we passed the town. Those who had gone earlier warned us to reverse; that the insurgents were on the road,”
He said he had to join travellers who were forced to make a U-turn as many travellers had vowed not to proceed until security troops cleared the road.
Mallam Abdul Kabir who was returning to Maiduguri yesterday from Kano said he was forced to make a U-turn after he was informed of the situation on the road. “Over 50 vehicles coming from Abuja, Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi had to return to Damaturu. There was a speculation that Boko Haram men have returned to the road again and everybody was afraid to pass through the road. I have made a U-turn to Damaturu now and there are other commuters and motorists. It is dangerous to proceed and we are staying here tonight,” he said on telephone.
He disclosed that many of the commuters said they would prefer to sleep in open places in Damaturu than risk travelling on the road yesterday evening.
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