The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai on Saturday reopened the 132-kilometre Damaturu-Biu Road with assurance that other roads in the northeast affected by insurgency would soon be open up for socio-economic activities.

The reopening comes as security forces continue to take control of the northeast zone of Nigeria from the hands of the Boko Haram insurgents.

A symbolic cutting of the tape marked the commencement of vehicular movement along the road which had been inactive for close to three years.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, who led the military hierarchy to Buniyadi town for the exercise, also marked the return of the displaced persons to the community.

He said that the reopening of the road would, asides impacting positively on the socio-economic activities of communities along the route, also stimulate peace and the current military operation going on in the area.

The road which passes through some major Yobe/Borno communities provides easy access to Adamawa and Gombe states.

With the recent improvement in the troubled northeast, residents have long expected the reopening of the road which will cut short their travelling woes from Maiduguri or Damaturu to Biu, Gombe and Adamawa states.

The State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, who was represented by the State Commissioner of Works, Sirajo Wakil, showered praises on the military for the restoration of peace and the reopening of the road.

He called on the returning communities to always seek military clearance before returning to their ancestral homes.

On the deplorable condition of the road, the Governor recalled that his administration had awarded the Yobe portion of the road covering a distance of 77km at the cost of 6.7 billion Naira but progress of work was thwarted shortly by the intensity of the insurgency.

He gave the assurance that with the improved peace, the construction company would be mobilised to resume work.

He thanked the military for deploying security to ensure the construction work does not stop. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Gen. Buratai.

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