Yobe Residents Celebrate Peaceful Christmas, Five Years After Insurgency

RESIDENTS of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, celebrated a hitch-free Christmas yesterday, five years after the Boko Haram insurgency prevented the movements of people to their places of worships for previous festivities and yuletides.

As early as 7am, Christian faithful were sighted in droves trooping to various churches located at the Jerusalem residential areas of Damaturu, offering prayers, praising God and rejoicing over the birth of Jesus Christ.

At Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, the Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Yilar Emmanuel Apagu, told The Guardian yesterday: “The significance of this celebration was to thank Almighty God for showing mankind yet another Christmas in this year.”

He, however, regretted that acute fuel scarcity has adversely affected the celebration and urged leaders to evoke programmes that would reduce the people’s hardship.

“Despite these hardships, the people should cultivate the spirit of sharing at all times, particularly during the occasion, and prayed for continuous guidance, protection and provision in the years ahead,” he added.