Different strokes: Hotel business booms in Yobe as Borno curfew locks down residents

CHIMA AZUBUIKE examines the unintended economic and social impacts on Yobe State caused by a security measure in Maiduguri, Borno State, aimed at curbing insurgency

The 6.00 pm city gate closure in Maiduguri, Borno State, imposed by the military alongside the state government to curb insurgency, has had unintended consequences: a boom in hotel business and rising security concerns in the neighbouring Yobe State. Our correspondent embarked on an investigation to uncover the economic and social impact of this decision.

For over a decade, Maiduguri has faced persistent insecurity due to Boko Haram and other extremist groups. To tackle insecurity, the state government took measures to secure lives and property, including the 6.00 pm gate closure. However, this decision has left travellers stranded at the entrance and forced them to seek alternative accommodations in Yobe State.

A visit to Damaturu Park, where buses and taxis converge, revealed that many travellers choose to rest in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, for the night rather than risk being stranded at the city gate. Danladi Umar, a 40-year-old driver, told our correspondent, “Remaining at the park is the best alternative. I’m not willing to expose my passengers to risks at the gate, considering the cold and other challenges..”

Findings at the park show that a mat and space on the ground for a night cost N400, non-negotiable, with a mosquito net provided. However, the cold remains a challenge, especially for those battling cold-related ailments.

Umar added, “As a driver who has plied the Damaturu/Maiduguri expressway for over a decade, I know that once the gate is closed, there’s no amount of pleading that will get them to open it until the next day.”

The driver revealed that he prefers not to continue his trip if he is running behind schedule, saying, “Some of us (drivers) have alleged that if you are in their good books or offer a tip, the soldiers may open the gate for a few by nightfall. But I have yet to experience that because I rarely travel late. Some of my colleagues claim that even being a minute late could get you locked out.”

Our correspondent observed that Hayas Hotel, located near a police station in Damaturu, was fully booked by 8 pm during the visit. Alternative options, such as Zango Hotel, were also filled, with some travellers forced to seek other accommodations.

A visit to Maina Hotel, located in the state’s low-cost area, revealed a large expanse of land with old structures. The receptionist was quick to provide a list of available rooms and their rates, with the least expensive option costing around N7,000.

Gamdo Gate in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State opens at 7 am. To avoid delays, most vehicles start moving by 6:30 am, especially for passengers affected by the gate closure despite their scheduled appointments.

A popular hotel manager in Yobe State, who identified himself only as Abass, expressed mixed feelings about the situation. “We pray to Allah to end the insurgency in Borno State, including Yobe, which they attack sporadically. Although the gate closure has boosted our hospitality business, we are not oblivious to the losses it causes.”

The hospitality entrepreneur urged the government to prioritise regulating the industry to prevent criminal infiltration. “The government can do more to support business growth. By doing so, our tax contributions will increase, and we will be able to provide better comfort for travellers,” Abass added.

Also, an applicant at a non-governmental organisation in Maiduguri, Danladi Muhammad, told our correspondent that he left Bauchi as soon as he got alert about his early morning interview.

Coming from Bauchi, I’m going for an interview in the morning. I thought we would arrive early enough to enter Maiduguri, but the bus left late due to a lack of passengers. This resulted in our late arrival in Damaturu. I hope we leave here early enough so that I can make it to my interview,” he added.

Muhammad continued: “I have been jobless for a long time, so I can’t afford to waste this chance. If I had known about the interview earlier, I would have left Bauchi sooner. When I got the text, I thought I would arrive in Maiduguri in time to prepare properly. I just hope the driver moves as fast as possible. If there’s time, I’ll freshen up before the interview; if not, I’ll do so afterwards.”

The Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, stated that the gate closure is a necessary security measure. “The gate is regulated for security reasons. We cannot lift the curfew and allow insurgents to penetrate, undermine, and threaten our security posts at night. Yobe is different from Borno—our risk factors are higher in both volume and intensity. We are not comparing ourselves with Yobe, nor are we negotiating our security policy. We are the ones on the ground. He who wears the shoe knows where it pinches.”

Tar added, “We cannot lift the curfew and allow insurgents to penetrate, undermine, and threaten our security posts at night. According to Robert McNamara, there can be no development without security. Borno and Yobe are one and inseparable.”

He also acknowledged the economic benefits to Yobe State, saying, “Since time immemorial, Yobe has been a transit point for Borno travellers. If, due to our curfew, our people are forced to stay overnight in Damaturu, and it boosts Yobe’s economy, that’s perfectly fine.”

An investigation by The PUNCH, however, revealed a darker side to the development. One of the hotels benefiting from the gate closure is allegedly a hub for drug proliferation and prostitution, located around Gujiba Road. When our correspondent arrived at the hotel, it was fully occupied, with many having booked in advance and others waiting in line for their turn.

When contacted, the Director General of Press and Media Affairs to the Yobe State Governor, Mamman Muhammad, denied knowledge of these activities and directed our correspondent to security agencies.

He said, “I’m not in a better position to know the activities there. The law enforcement agencies are the ones that are better placed to know.”

The Yobe State Police Command acknowledged awareness of the issue, blaming the military’s presence in the state for encouraging the trade. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, lamented, “Civilians also come in there; in fact, they are the ones who supply the drugs. We have been raiding that place; there’s no month we don’t raid.”

He continued: “Sometimes, we conduct joint patrols with military personnel, as we used to go out together. You can’t tell the military to leave that place because there’s no alternative accommodation for them. It’s not just the military; other security personnel are also present there.

“You see women coming from various parts of the state to have affairs with some personnel for a small amount of money. We have tried our best. During the end-of-month press conference, the Commissioner of Police raised the issue and directed the Area Commanders to continue raiding the spot until all criminal activities are eradicated.”

Abdulkarim attributed the problem to the patronage of some military personnel. “You know it’s part of the challenges that come with insecurity. We have been arresting a lot of people there, alongside officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.”

He said the police had been able to reduce drug supply in the state, especially around the Zango area. “We have even reduced it; before, it was worse, but Zango remains a challenge because there are residential structures, including some makeshift zinc houses, nearby. We are managing the situation; the command is aware, and we have been conducting raids, leading to the arrest of many peddlers.”