Damaturu residents take self-imposed leave to welcome Buhari

SOME residents in Damaturu have taken a day leave to receive President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC) who is on a presidential campaign visit to the Yobe capital on Monday.

The residents, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, said the one-day leave would afford them the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the president while in the state.

Alhaji Aliyu Mustapha, a provision seller at Bayan Tasha Business Centre, said he had locked his shop until after the president’s visit.

“I am going to the main road where he will be passing through so that I can catch a glimpse of the president,” he said.
Habu Habibu, an electric materials dealer, said: “Today we are on a self-declared holiday to welcome the president until after the visit.”

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“Everyone on our street has closed his shop to welcome the president; we are so proud of him to have restored relative peace to the Northeast,” he said.

Mohammed Abdulrahman of Zanna Zakariya Housing Estate, said: “we will support and re-elect Buhari for a second term for providing more dividends of democracy.”

Meanwhile, security operatives have been deployed to all strategic locations in the metropolis to ensure safety and peace throughout the visit.

NAN reports that there was no official declaration of a public holiday by the state government, but most of the state civil servants have not been to work, while most schools and business centres are closed.

Some streets were cleaned, while the Damaturu Stadium, the venue of the campaign, was given a facelift as part of the preparation for the President’s visit.