FROM PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI AND TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, MAIDUGURI
Christians in Bauchi State celebrated Christmas yesterday amidst tension and tight security, following the bomb blasts that ripped through Central Market, the largest market in the state capital on Monday.
Heavily armed security operatives were seen manning most of the churches in the state capital where Christians turned up for the Christmas service.
Although there was no restriction of movement by the authorities, most residents indicated that they would not step an inch from their houses.
“I am going to church, after that I will go straight home,” Mr. Uchena Maxi who has since relocated his family to the South-East, told the reporter.
Some residents said that they would rather not go to church in view of the increasing attacks by insurgents of recent.
“They have attacked markets, schools, churches, name it. Nobody knows what their next plan is. So, to avoid problem, I prefer to spend the Christmas indoors,” a resident who asked to not to be named said.
Our correspondent who went round some of the churches to monitor the situation noted that there was low turnout of worshippers in most of the churches in the state capital.
“Most residents usually travel out of the state or the state capital to celebrate the Christmas but this year, it appeared the number of people who travelled out of Bauchi was high because our church was half full,” a middle-aged man who worships at the Living Faith Church, a.ka. Winners’ Chapel in the state capital, informed the reporter.
The resident who preferred anonymity said he was surprised that for the first time, a mobile policeman in uniform patrolled their backyard as part of the security measures.
“He was not there to worship. He was going round the place. Later he went back to meet his colleagues,” he said.
At the ECWA 1 near Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, armed soldiers and gun-wielding mobile policemen were seen patrolling the vicinity while a few were stationed at the gate.
At the St John Catholic Church near Wunti, the situation was not different. It was the same situation in churches such as the Baptist Church located at Yandoka, and the ECWA Church in Yelwa to mention a few.
Unlike in the past when the streets bubbled with activities amidst human and vehicular movement, most of the major streets visited such as Yankoda and Ahmadu Bello Way were deserted.
“I would rather remain indoors and spend the Christmas with my family. I don’t want to risk their lives by taking them out,” Mr Mathew Keffas told Daily Sun.
“Last year I took them to Zaranda Hotel for a Christmas party. But this year I am not taking them out because of the security situation,” Mathew who is a Customs Officer based in Lagos but has his family resident in Bauchi said.
Daily Sun investigation also revealed that the hospitality business might have incurred huge losses as the insecurity has chased fun seekers from patronising their facilities.
For example, when our reporter visited some hotels, it was observed that the annual Children’s Christmas party hosted by them had been cancelled.
The swimming pool of one of the hotels, which served as the venue of the Children Christmas party, was deserted with a handful of children swimming.
A man in his late 20s or early 30s at the hotel’s swimming pool lamented that the security situation was having a negative impact on their business.
Most other joints that served as venue for social gatherings witnessed notably low patronage.
The situation is worsened by the fact that most civil servants in the state received their salaries just few days to Christmas.
Most of them were seen at Automated Teller Machines (ATM) trying to make withdrawals.
They complained that most of the paying machines in the banks were not working, frustrating the plans they had to travel or buy Christmas things.
“I managed to withdraw some money yesterday (December 24) but even at that, the Central Market where I normally bought things has been bombed. I don’t even know where to start,” Kauna Joseph, who works with the state Ministry of Health, lamented.
A lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi who pleaded anonymity commended the authorities for making electricity available since Christmas Eve.
“I have gone to service my generator because my family and I will remain indoors. But I am happy that PHCN has been generous with electricity,” he said.
The situation was hardly different in Borno and Yobe, two states currently under Boko Haram siege. In both states, nothing showed it was Christmas. Residents said the incessant Boko Haram attacks and restriction of movement in the two states by the military authorities, made the Christmas day appear like every other day.
“Nothing shows today is Christmas here,” 53-year-old Nehemiah Buba, a Maiduguri resident, told the reporter. “We can’t even come out. I have been indoors with my family and we couldn’t go to church on Christmas day because of the ban on movement of vehicles in Borno. This is the first time in my life that I observe Christmas indoors, without any celebration.”
The military in Maiduguri and Damaturu, the capitals of Borno and Yobe states, had on Monday announced restriction on vehicular movement from 6pm on Wednesday December 24 to 7am Sunday, December 28, citing intelligent reports which indicated planned attacks by Boko Haram during the Christmas period.”
“Security reports at the disposal of the Headquarters of 7 Division Nigerian Army indicated concerted efforts by the Boko Haram terrorists to unleash mayhem on some parts of Borno State and in particular, the city of Maiduguri during Christmas celebration,” spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Colonel Sani Usman said through a statement made available to reporters.
He said the measure became necessary to protect lives and property of the people of the states from Boko Haram attacks. With this, all roads within the cities and towns as well as highways into and out of the two states were shut down to prevent entry and exit out of the area.
Streets and roads in Maiduguri and Damaturu were largely deserted throughout the Christmas Day. Tunde Alakija, an undergraduate, said the initial apprehension of possible attacks during the Christmas might have also scared people from walking around, even with the ban on movement of vehicles, at least to greet friends and loved ones.
“Anyhow, we thank God. At least everything is calm,” he stated, adding that he took some children to the Sanda Kyarimi Zoological Garden located at the heart of the city to relax. “They’re children and they need such things, else they will miss the opportunity in life because of the security situation. But in all, there are no social activities,” he told Daily Sun.
Few churches opened for Christmas Day service on Thursday, said Mr. David Olutayo, a church worker. He, however, said even fewer members turned up for services.
“It was difficult for most people who live far from their churches to attend Christmas Day service, so attendance was very poor,” he disclosed.
Attendance at the Christmas services at EYN (Church of the Brethren Nigeria), Goodnews Church and Anglican Church located at Wulari-Jerusalem ward was fair while Baptist Church, The Apostolic Church, Catholic Church, C&S Church at the Post Office Area, got fewer members. Unlike other churches in most parts of the country that held Christmas Eve or Christmas Carol service on the night of Wednesday, December 24, all churches in Borno and Yobe states suspended such church services.
The situation in Damaturu, Yobe State capital, was also the same, as most people remained indoors. However, tricycle operators popularly call Keke NAPEP were allowed to transport residents within the capital.
“You can only go to any place you intend to with this means of transportation, and that’s just within the town,” Abdullahi Adamu explained.
Meanwhile, thousands of persons displaced by Boko Haram from the communities who now take refuge at various Internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri said they were not celebrating Christmas.
“What celebration are you talking about when we’ve been cut off from our ancestral home? I haven’t seen two of my grown-up sons since July when Boko Haram raided our community in Gwoza. How does one celebrate when I am living like a destitute in my own country,” an elderly man, one of the displaced persons at the Christian Centre who did not want his name mentioned, told the reporter on phone.
Recounting his ordeal in the hands of the insurgents and the pain he has been going through, the man said nothing was worth celebrating again to him until Boko Haram insurgents were wiped out of the North-East, his community restored and his sons reunited with him. “I don’t even know if they are dead,” he lamented.
Hundreds of under-aged children orphaned by Boko Haram are kept at the centre managed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State chapter. Their destiny has indeed changed. Indeed, Christmas can only make meaning to them when they surmount the hurdles of life and be reunited with their parents, said Mr. Eliza Mamman.
The Sun
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