This is a very nice one. Unlike report from Tonto Dike's kingdom that make frontpage everyday.

Nice one.

congrats bro

Okay, I'm still not convinced.

@Op,you be coward oo.. After visiting your mama,uwent back to the hotel and lodged because of secuirity? Chai!!! So you no fit crash for your maale place and u say peace dey? Mbanu

nice job guy. soon boko haram will be a thing of the pass

Nice one @OP. Well said! Except that part where you said people stay out till late midnight, you exaggerated a bit. From my own experience, by 9pm or 10pm at most, all the streets were deserted coz of the curfew. But of course, the civilian JTF are doing a really great job. I moved freely in Mairi (even up to gate 5) and went to some parts of Gwange without fear. Gradually, Maiduguri is getting back her name "HOME of PEACE". God bless Nigeria!

First things first, Aminho i doff my hat to you for making such a brave sojourn and sharing your experience in Borno. It is more than the average blogger will undertake. Kudos to you.

secondly, on the issue of the soldiers identity. i believe our soldiers have an element personal security training. They felt comfortable posing for the pictures.

In my own two cents, we have been privilegded to see the faces of our unsung Nigerian heroes (Soldiers and Aminho).

Good work! Keep it up!! I have long said t'he way out of t'he nothern security quagmire is for t'he youth to get angry and say enough is enoguh!and thats what we are seeing. Kudos Aminho!!

aminho: MAIDUGURI IS BACK
when the said police officer opened fire on the Civilian JTF as they were trying to burn down the house of the former Gov Ali Modu Sheriff. He said the civilian JTF had accused SAS of having hand in the insurgency in the state, hence they decided to burn down his house because they have complain to the govt that they have evidence that SAS had hand in all that has happen in the state, but the govt had fail to take action.

He also told me that the civilian JTF had Beaten up the state chairman of the ANPP, and that it was the police that rescued the man, though they succeeded in burning down the man's house.

This is mob justice and should be checked. Just because some youths claim someone is BH, the army will just take their word for it and lock them up? How do we know the civilian JTF are not secretly working for BH and just rounding enemies to their cause?

aminho: MAIDUGURI IS BACK

the state govt, should immediately structure and regulate the activities of the civilian JTF, because what I observe is that some of the youths are below 15 years, some are even drug addicts,

The army, air force, navy special forces, DSS, ATS, DMI, etc should do what they are collecting N3billion a day for and eradicate BH. Use the civilians to gather intelligence rather than outsourcing your combat responsibilities to civilians.

@OP, I'm glad your now able to return home and I pray that this insurgency is ended permanently!!

intresting writeup,i hope maiduguri becomes peaceful soon

Afolabs101:

This is mob justice and should be checked. Just because some youths claim someone is BH, the army will just take their word for it and lock them up? How do we know the civilian JTF are not secretly working for BH and just rounding enemies to their cause?



The army, air force, navy special forces, DSS, ATS, DMI, etc should do what they are collecting N3billion a day for and eradicate BH. Use the civilians to gather intelligence rather than outsourcing your combat responsibilities to civilians.

@OP, I'm glad your now able to return home and I pray that this insurgency is ended permanently!!

On Point!

It might show bravery on the Civilians' part, but it shows lack of intel & standards in the Nigerian Military.

Just because they are locals doesn't mean the job should be done by them. Imagine the name sef: Civilian JTF. . .

Shame on the military if semi-educated civilians in the north are the ones fighting the insurgency. Makes me wonder if anything actually works in this country.

Nice one bro. Thnk God normalcy is returning to the ancient city. Both d military and civillian JTF have really done well, kudos.

Hmm great news from borno.

what really pricked my curiosity is that knife/cutlass.. na human being them dey use that one for or animals see that thing... na wa oh its scary

OP, UR REPORT OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARD. IF IT WERE VIDEO, IT WILL QUALIFY FOR CCN iREPORT.
KUDOS TO YOU, U HAVE DONE GREATLY WITH UR FIRSTHAND REPORT. OTHER NIGERIAN JOURNALIST SHOULD TAKE QUE.

JazakAllahu Khair Aminho!!

Great piece!!

Good to see that things are returning to normal.

hisblud: Hmm great news from borno.

what really pricked my curiosity is that knife/cutlass.. na human being them dey use that one for or animals see that thing... na wa oh its scary

i thought i was the only one that saw that knife.....imagine a masquerade chasing someone with that knife in a dream.

JazakAllahu Khair Aminho!!
Hmm great news from borno.

But why their bullet proof vest come be like life jacket for amateur simmers like this? Thanks Aminho Alanguro...

Boyoorisha: Aminho, is a core PDP man! He has connections with top government officials.

And what does that have to do with his narration? Abeg face front.

tbaba1234: JazakAllahu Khair Aminho!!

Great piece!!

Good to see that things are returning to normal.

so, you are happy now? No be you dey fight jtf for nairaland when aljazeram wrote nonsense about our darling jtf mtchew

nice work there, aminho. happy to hear verified account of peace in maiduguri. Though, not an indigene , I graduated from unimaid and I really really love d place. its was really home of peace till Ali modu came to power and turned everything upside down

hisblud: Hmm great news from borno.

what really pricked my curiosity is that knife/cutlass.. na human being them dey use that one for or animals see that thing... na wa oh its scary

OL boy that knife na die oooo...

aminho: MAIDUGURI IS BACK
As one approach the ancient city of Maiduguri through Damaturu Jos road, especially if one has not visited the city after the declaration of the state of emergency, one will notice that surely peace is gradually, but steadily returning to the home of peace.

Though I arrive the city in the evening, but I noticed that people are not rushing home like the previous time I visited the city. That is to show that things are now calm in the city. After seeing my mother and some few relatives, having been sure that she is very much ok, I decided to go round the city the next morning to see things for my self.

Right from the gate of Borno state hotel where I lodge because of its maximum security, I begin to notice the activities of the new national heroes as they were called by President Jonathan, but are popularly known as the "civilian JTF", some people call them sector 00. This youths have completely taken over the patrol of the streets in the city with the exception of Baga road area.

There are few check points that are now under the control of the JTF, because most of the check points are now under the full control of the Civilian JTF. As I reach post office area, I came in contact with one of the groups carrying a halve dead person and they handed over the person to the soldiers who are stationed at the Nitel office.

I ask one of the members of the Civilian JTF who confirm to me that this person they brought is one of the
commanders of Boko haram, and they traced him to his hideout and apprehend him. Though I wanted to ask him some few questions, but he told me that they are in a hurry, he said they are still chasing one of
the commanders of the Boko haram.

I then went to the popular monday market, and to my greatest surprise the market is almost full to capacity with a lot of business transaction going as if nothing had ever happen in the city. I was so delighted, I also noticed that most of the Igbo traders that I use to know are still there conducting their businesses. I had a chat with one Okechukwu, I ask him when did he return to Maiduguri, and he told me that he never even left the city despite the security challenge, he told me that, though some of them had left the city, but majority of them did not leave, and even those that had left, are now returning back. He told me that now they use to be outside up to 12 midnight, because peace has return to many parts of the city. He confirm to me that the soldiers don't even patrol the street in his area, he said it is the civilian JTF that now patrol the street, and that they the civilian JTF knows the Boko haram members, so it makes it easy for them to trace and arrest them. He told me that they have arrested so many people within the market, and when they went to search the houses of such people, they normally found guns and other dangerous weapons. He told me that the boys are doing a good job and that they hope that govt will reward them for these selfless service to the nation.

My grandfathers house and one of my uncle's house is in Baga road, so I decided to take the risk and go and greet them, on my way I notice that from west end round about, up to Ibrahim Taiwo Estate or Federal low cost, I did not see a single military check point. Unlike during my previous visits where I saw about three to four check point, this time not even a single one. I begin to feel uneasy as I reach the baga road bus stop, but I sow people going towards the direction of the house so I decided to follow them, but I noticed that only old men, women and children that am seeing.

When I arrived the house, my Anty's children welcome me, but they are very surprise to see me there, I ask the small boy the where about of his senior brother, he told me "uncle this place is not safe", and that his senior brothers had left the area for their safety. When I later met my uncle in his office at the Musa Usman secretariat, he was not happy that I went there, he said all the responsible youths have left the area for their safety and that any youth I found in the area is a boko haram member. He said I was lucky to have went there and came out alive. He said the BH boys don't want to see any new face in the area. But thank God I came out alive, a risk which I will never take again. I don't know why the military have neglected that area, though it may be a strategy that the military wants to use to trap these BH boys in one area.

I also visited Gwange, Polo, Gomari Airport and Tashan Bama area. All I saw in these areas are people full of happiness. I was told that in some places like Old Maiduguri, custom, Housari and many other places, any time the JTF enter those areas, the people hail them and chanting the slogan Soja oyoyo! Soja oyoyo as a sign of peaceful relationship that now exist between the JTF and the people.

Later that evening, I met a soldier and a police officer at an indomie joint. We begin to chat, and the soldier told me that they now have less work as the civilian JTf are doing extremely well. He said before the youth started this work, they always go around in group for fear of attack, but he said now soldier can go anywhere without any fear.

He said even their commanders are very happy with performance of the civilian JTF. But he express his dismay with the activities of some police men. He told me that his commander nearly slap one inspector of police when the said police officer open fire on the Civilian JTF as they were trying to burn down the house of the former Gov Ali Modu Sheriff. He said the civilian JTF had accuse SAS of having hand in the insurgency in the state, hence they decided to burn down his house because they have complain to the govt that they have evidence that SAS had hand in all that has happen in the state, but the govt had fail to take action.

He also told me that the civilian JTF had Beaten up the state chairman of the ANPP, and that it was the police that rescued the man, though they succeeded in burning down the man's house. He told me that Mala Uthman is now in their custody. He said he see no reason why the people will complain and indict certain people of having hand in the insecurity and the govt will not take the necessary action to investigate them.

He said the have a duty to listen to this boys, let the govt arrest this people and investig
ate them, to avoid any problem. My advice here is that the state govt, should immediately structure and regulate the activities of the civilian JTF, because what I observe is that some of the youths are below 15 years, some are even drug addicts, that has no future. But now that they are helping to restore back peace, their welfare should be taken care of by the govt. So that they will be more useful to themselves and the society.

They have done extremely well, and there is the need for the govt and well meaning members of the society to reciprocate this gesture.

Finally, as I left the City, I left with a smile that surely in no distant time, Borno will bounce back

Muhammad Musa Amshi (Aminho) a Nairalander in Maiduguri photo 1 and 2 borno govnor kashim shettima Pic 3 fmr govnor Ali modu sheriff SAS pic 4 fmr govnor muhammad goni and aminho during the visit

So Baga is a terrorist haven,I suspect that the community head has vested interest in boko haram-only when the military does the needful will he start talking rubbish defending his terrorists.the place needs cleansing.

Nice writeup but aminho,u write this article for Kanuri English shey?

Igbo people no de hear word! Am surprised many of them are still in Maiduguri! Doing what! All because of money?!

Am gonna serve in maiduguri insha Allah if normacy x brought 2 d xtate.

amAZEing: nice one there. The soldiers had always wanted to get the job done like this but GEJ and democracy was not helping matters.

Its not easy to declare full scale war.

Good job, Aminho!! Reports in the past always sent shivers down my spine, u are a hero too. Bt cant we see the faces of these Civillian JTF?

At last the northerners are gradually acknowledging the good work of president GEJ,it's high time the northern youths refuse to be used by those old criminals like buhari who call themselves leaders in the north, whose only reason for not encouraging the youths in the north to get educated was to always manipulate them,now you can see that you guys are being used all these while for their selfish ambitions,and this is the reason why you all will support and vote in GEJ for second term in 2015,so as to consolidate on the good work he's doing,all the same mr aminho,we are proud of you for your positive reports,God bless you,collectively the bh problem will soon be a thing of the past and peace and normalcy will return not just in boronu state,but to all parts of Nigeria.amen

Up till today, the sultan of sokoto, Buhari, Tinubu, Arewa Consultattive Forum, Northern Elders Forum, ACN have not seen anything good to commend the civilian JTF on their good work nor mount pressure on federal government to arrange for their welfare. I am surprised. These people were on the fore front mounting pressure on federal government to grant amnesty to murderers and terrorist(boko haram), the so called borno elders is no where to be found now that civilian JTF is doing a nice job. Shame on all of them.