Army reopens Maiduguri-Bama highway 30 months after closure

The Nigerian army has reopened the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki international highway in Borno state. 

Rogers Nicholas, the theatre commander, operation Lafiya Dole, announced this on Saturday at the inauguration of the highway in Maiduguri.

Nicholas said the road was certified safe for public use following the successes recorded in the ongoing clearance operation in the war against insurgency.

He said: “Today marks another remarkable event in the life of people of Borno and of the military in the operation Lafiya Dole.

“Recall that on September 1, 2014; the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki Road was closed due to activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the general and that affected the economic activities in Borno state and the Cameroun Republic.

“In the course of our operation with our Cameroonian counterpart, we had been able to get rid of the insurgents along this axis particularly the Sambisa forest.

“It is time for people to go back to their homes in Bama, I am happy that today we are opening up the road in the first phase of the operation. It would also give the people the leverage to resume commercial activities along the axis and also give them confidence to return home.

“We also implore the people going back and members of the road transport workers to adhere to the guidelines outlined by the military so that they could ply the road with level of safety.”

Nicholas said the military authorities had designed strategies to provide escort to ensure safety of motorists plying the road and other highways in the theatre.

He also called on the insurgents to take advantage of the presidential amnesty, by laying down their arms.