There was palpable relief in parts of Kaduna following further relaxation of the curfew in parts of the state capital.
But the state government has said it will not hesitate to bring back the 24 hours curfew if residents do not behave themselves and keep the peace.
But in the National Assembly, Kaduna Senators and others threw salvos the way of Governor Nasir el Rufai. Others asked that those involved in the violence be brpught to book.
Senator Danjuma Laah, in whose Kaduna South senatorial district most of the nearly 100 lives were lost, wondered why the governor was out of town, and accused him of not putting measures in place to contain the violence.
His words: “In the first place, I noticed that the governor is out of town. Was he supposed to leave without leaving responsibility to the deputy? What for? We are all human beings. You should look at people like they don’t know what they are doing. We are all human beings, I don’t differentiate. I want things to be done in the rightful way.
“All these happenings in Kaduna State is caused by the Governor of Kaduna State because he is not putting all the necessary measures in place. The responsibility, he leaves them all. It is not compulsory to vote somebody. I can vote somebody if I want and he is not working, he should leave there.
“We are observing and always watching why is he still asking the federal government to give him money? Is he the only governor who has damages. He is looking for the money that he would be giving out. If you don’t have time for the human begins. We cannot allow that to remain.”
Kaduna North Senator, Suleiman Hunkuyi, expressed worry at people being locked in, while some hoodlums exploited the situation killing innocent people.
But the statement by the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, reads: “Curfew hours in Kaduna have been reviewed. Effective tomorrow, Thursday, 25th October 2018, residents of Kaduna are free to pursue their legitimate business from 6am to 5pm. Dusk to dawn curfew will be enforced from 5pm to 6am daily, until further notice.
“The Kaduna State Government took the decision to review the curfew hours following a meeting today of a select committee of the State Security Council. The heads of the security agencies reported significant progress in restoring calm and commended residents for the peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves during the four-hour relaxation of the curfew in parts of Kaduna yesterday.
“The Government is grateful to our citizens for their cooperation while withstanding the unintended inconvenience. Government expects normal banking and other services to resume, and markets to open as normal as from tomorrow. The security agencies will remain vigilant and continue to protect residents. Intensive surveillance of known pockets of potential trouble is also continuing, by troops on the ground and by helicopter patrols.
“It is obligatory on residents to scrupulously observe the night-time curfew hours, to keep the peace and to cooperate with the security agencies to keep our state safe. Community leaders are enjoined to ensure that hoodlums and other potential threats to peace are promptly reported to the security agencies.
“Government therefore urges all residents to report any suspicious activity to the security agencies and to refrain from spreading rumoursand unverified information. The Security Council advises that there will be no hesitation to reimpose a 24-hour curfew in the event of any breach of the peace. “