Night Fall in Maiduguri

A student of University of Maiduguri returning to school at night from Makurdi after the Christmas break sees the street lights of Maiduguri and swallows hard, undecided whether to spend the night in Borno Express park or to risk her life trecking a long distance to the University. As her bus comes to a halt, she looks up and glances at her wristwatch, hissing.

A frown of fear jumps onto Cynthia Ameh's face as she sees a crowd of people waiting invain for buses to convey them to their various destinations within Maiduguri Metropolis. No commercial buses are allowed after eight o' clock at night due to insecurity in the state. To crown it up, the motorcyclists stop work by six o' clock in the evening.

For long now, since the Boko Haram crisis started, recidents of Maiduguri live in an ocean of fear and uncertainty. No one is to be trusted. Often, news of police men gunned down at their duty posts spread everywhere like the word fire. Occassional gun shots and litany of policy check points are clear indications that the security problem of the state is going out of hand. The recent burning of worship places during the Christmass Eve and the frightening stories of eyewitnesses make night fall in Maiduguri a nightmare.

As Miss Ameh stood, contemplating what to do, a young man accousted her. "Hey, my name is Peter Mhambe, a student of Unimaid. I was in that Benue Links bus with you. You were discussing Unimaid with someone in the bus and I assumed you are a student there. "

Miss Ameh noded, relaxing the frown on her face. "i don't mind coming with you if you will treck to the campus."

As they began the long walk, they discovered that the entire main road and streets were deserted. Fear gripped them and they retreated. Rivulets of tears streamed down Miss Ameh's face. The possibility of spending the night in the open air at the Motor Park under the January cold weather sent shudder up her spine. What troubled her mind the more was not even the safety of her luggage but her acute pneumonia. As of that instant, the time was half past eight at night.

The crowds by the road sides in front of the park were increasing- students, elderly men and women, and children shivering in the cold. Everyone spoke in whispers as no one could differentiate between Boko Haram members and non-members.

Presently, a tattered-looking man surfaced behind Miss Ameh and her friend. He pointed at a red Golf car parked under a neem tree and said he was looking for two passengers to the University. Without hesitation, they rushed to the vehicle and entered.

As the driver turned the ignition on, Miss Ameh started examining the inside of the vehicle. A bearded old man with gray hairs sat in the front seat while two other young men sat with them in the back seat. Miss Ameh shut her eyes, clasped her raised hands, murmured a short prayer and leaned her head on Mhambe's shoulder.

The man on the wheel was not a taxi driver. ''I'm doing this to survive in spite the risks involved,'' said the driver in Hausa parlance. "Our government has forgotten that people need to eat and pay their bills. While they are fighting Boko Haram, they forget to fight poverty which contributes to all these troubles. I'm doing this to feed my family, if I'm shot in the process, I will die and go and rest."

To avoid police check points, the driver avoided the main roads and drove through narrow, snake-like streets. The driver and the elderly man in the front seat discussed the December 24 and 29 separate attacks in Maiduguri by some gun men alleged to be Boko Haram members. Miss Ameh who had been away when all these attacks took place became increasingly uneasy.

Who would not be? Any meaningful development can not be possible without security of lives and property. Even the economy thrives on security. Anarchy and chaos retard the progress and efforts of people at getting things done the right way. Before Boko Haram, business used to boom at night. But since government imposed curfew, Maiduguri has never been the same again.

Meaanwhile, as the driver approached the main road at the Lagos Street, a touch light flashed from a far. An armed Operation Flush officer at a check point waved the driver down.

"You no get fear!" the officer shouted. "Where una come from?"

"Borno Express," said the driver, his voice shaking. "We're going to the University."

"To the university with this old man? Abi na una prof?" the officer was obviously furious.

The officer ordered the old man to step out of the car and had him thoroughly searched. Unable to find anything incriminating about the man, he left him and beamed his touch light on the passengers at the back seat.

"Una face look innocent but this old man look like Boko Haram," the officer said and finally allowed the car to pass.

As Miss Ameh sighted the walls of the University, a faint smile appeared on her face. Night fall heralds fear and sorrows in Maiduguri, but one thing is certain for now- the walls of University of Maiduguri serves as a safe haven for thousands of Boko-seeking Nigerians.

ILOANI A. FRANCIS

MASS COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT

UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI