The Commissioner of Police in Yobe State, Abdulmaliki Sunmonu; the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, Ahmad Makama as well as residents and motorists confirmed that the Damaturu-Maiduguri-Potiskum Road was closed for hours yesterday.
Most traders also said the situation prevented them from getting to the markets in Gaidam and Potiskum.
The REC told newsmen at the venue of the signing of the peace accord by politicians, scheduled for yesterday that the event was postponed owing to the closure of the road.
“Most of these people we are expecting will come from other local governments of the state and the roads linking to Damaturu have been shut down by the army. Therefore, we’ve agreed to shift the programme to a later date of Thursday, next week, January 17”, he said.
Also, the police commissioner confirmed that the road was closed by security men, calling on residents to disregard a rumour that there was going to be an attack in the area.
Although the road was opened around 1:00pm, motorists, passengers and traders said they were earlier stranded owing to the closure.
A resident said: “After the attack at Auno, they (insurgents) sent us a message to vacate the town latest by Wednesday (yesterday).”
However, Deputy Director of Public Relations of Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, denied that the army closed the 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.
“Members of the public are please advised to cooperate and bear with the troops as they carry out these duties” the statement read.
