Nigerian military insists curfew in force in northeast city

The curfew imposed in restive northeast city of Maiduguri in Borno State between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time was still in force, the Nigerian Army said Friday.

In statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, the country's economic hub, the Army warned that drastic action would be taken against individuals found violating the curfew.

Some members of the public violate orders on curfew imposed in Maiduguri and environs, the statement said, noting that violations of curfew threaten the relative peace being enjoyed in Maiduguri town.

According to the statement, the curfew might be reviewed in future when the security situation in the state improved tremendously.

Nigeria's military imposed the curfew in parts of the north-eastern city of Maiduguri over the past years, as it pushes its massive offensive against Boko Haram militants.

Dozens of insurgents have been killed in the offensive targeting all three states put under emergency decree, including Adamawa and Yobe, but Boko Haram's traditional base of Borno is expected to be a focal point of the operation.

Source: XINHUA