Military Plans To Close Markets Aiding Boko Haram Operations In Borno, Yobe

The Nigerian Army has announced plans to close designated markets in Yobe and Borno where traders have been found to be aiding Boko Haram terrorists with logistic supplies.

The acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, did not name the markets.

Usman said the planned closure was part of measures to contain attempts by some unscrupulous elements to sabotage recent gains recorded by the military in the North-East.

According to the spokesman, any breach of the order will be dealt with accordingly.

He appealed to residents of the affected areas to support the new measures, stressing that they were aimed at permanently ending the insurgency.

Col. Usman said that some unscrupulous elements have been engaged in all manners of illegal commercial activities in markets such as trading and smuggling, especially during late hours; all aimed at sustaining terrorism and insurgency.

He said the Nigerian military and indeed the Nigerian Army is highly concerned with these unpatriotic acts .

Usman said the military was making efforts to consolidate on the gains recently recorded in the war against terrorists in the North-East.

Usman also announced the arrest of two Nigerian Army Explosive Device personnel at Yola park with different kinds of ammunition and military hardware.

He said the soldiers were arrested on Sunday with the unathorised military items to unknown destinations.

“The items include smoke grenade, over 2,000 live rounds of special ammunition, 50 live rounds NATO ammunition, five magazines of AK47 rifles, two browning machine gun live rounds of ammunition,” he added.

Usman said in spite of the setbacks, the military had recently recorded successes in its determination to flush out the elements.

Usman said troops in different operations in the North-East killed many of the terrorists, rescued hundreds of persons held hostage and recovered several arms.

He said several hideouts of the insurgents in remote villages in Borno and Yobe had been destroyed in the operations carried out by troops under the `Operation Lafiya Dole.