After  Decade  of  Terror, Maiduguri Finds Its Nightlife Again

For nearly a decade, darkness in Maiduguri meant fear, curfews and empty streets as insurgency dictated life after sunset. Today, the Borno State capital is witnessing a remarkable revival, with traders, food vendors, students and residents reclaiming the night. Across once-feared hotspots, businesses now stay open late, reflecting a growing confidence in security and a return to normalcy and optimism, writes Muhammad Sabiru

For nearly ten years, the setting sun in the Borno State capital was not a cue to relax, but a chilling signal for terror. Darkness brought strict uncertainty, the heavy burden of curfews, and the constant fear of insurgent attacks that forced residents into locked-down silence.

Today, however, the rhythm of daily life in Maiduguri is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Residents are stepping out of the shadows, and the once-dreaded night hours are now alive with commerce, social interaction, and a hard-won sense of normalcy.

A tour through Maiduguri’s former hotspots—including the Post Office area, Monday market, Custom area and Damboa road—reveals a bustling urban landscape.

Food vendors, tea sellers, small shop owners, and roasted fish operators now keep their shutters rolled up well past dusk, welcoming a steady stream of customers that increasingly grow confident in their safety.

“Before, everyone rushes home before Isha prayer time (7:30pm) because darkness meant danger,” said Ladi Ishaku, who operates a popular roasted fish joint. “Now, I stay open late because people are out. They are sitting, eating, and talking. We haven’t seen this kind of peace in a very long time.”

The emotional and economic shift is profound. For small business owners, the return of nightlife has served as a vital economic lifeline, helping traders recover from years of stifled growth and recent natural challenges, such as the September 11, 2024 devastating floods.

Dashwet Balami, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who arrived in Maiduguri with deep trepidation due to terrifying stories of Boko Haram, found a reality entirely at odds with her expectations.

Encouraged by locals, she started a potato chips business that now funds her expenses and supports her parents.

“Before I came to Maiduguri, my feeling was that Boko Haram were everywhere and they kill people at will. I never thought I would see bars where beer is sold at night,” Balami said. “I found the town bubbling like any other city without restrictions.”

Chief Emmanuel Ogochukwu, leader of the Igbo Community in Maiduguri, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the town has regained its lost peace and that businesses are flourishing.

“Maiduguri people accommodate many of the Igbos here, and we do our businesses peacefully. There is a lot of money. With the way things are going, I must say that peace has finally returned,” he stated.

Even students at the University of Maiduguri have experienced the shifting tides. Emmanuel Toma, a student, noted that the university never had to close its doors throughout the insurgency, and the growing safety outside the campus walls has further integrated student life with the wider city.

Another lady, Asiya Muhammad, who fries Akara and sweet potatoes for sale, said the relative peace recorded has changed the perception of people about the town.

“I now sell Akara in the morning and evening and people are coming to buy from me. I must thank God for the peace we have regained. I am very happy that Maiduguri night life has returned. I must say that my business flourishes during the night,” she said.

Also, Abigail Maxwell, who operates a roasted fish business along Damboa road said, “We give thanks to God for the return of peace in Maiduguri. At the peak of the insurgency, when curfew was imposed, all streets were empty by this time. But we thank God that we can do good business now.

“I fled this town more than two times because many people believe that a day like this will not come. There were no businesses let alone the night sales. 

“Now we are enjoying the relative peace, businesses and social life are now thriving everywhere in the town. As you can see, even the uniform men are relaxed now; for the past three years, there has been no Boko Haram invasion. Maiduguri is now safe,” she said

Traders along the city’s main corridors report soaring nighttime sales. Abdullahi Maikano, who sells suya at Airport Junction, marveled at the change, saying, “It always seems to me like a dream each time I compare the life under the curfew and the security checks we faced in the past. I now sell meat at night.

“Three years back, by 7:00pm everyone would be locked home until the following morning. Today, we sell my suya up to 11pm and the security will not disturb you,” he added.

The story is not different from Ibrahim Goza, a gas meat seller at Damboa road.

“The only thing I can tell you is that I sell more at night and I make more money. I thank God, that’s all.

“Two years ago, you could only see people on the street in the afternoon but disappeared in the night, but today, business booms at night because of the confidence they have in security,” he said.

Driving through the town at night, THISDAY observed that commodities sold include fruits, soft drinks and other provisions at different parts of the town.

Also, in some corners of the town, THISDAY further noticed local tea and noodles sellers, popularly called “Maishayi da Indomie,” bean cake sellers and even smoked fish sellers.

Adama Margi, who works as a waitress at Hadiza Balangu, a restaurant where local dishes are being sold, said they make huge profits at night rather than in the day.

“Our major sales are at night. That is when people troop in to buy and we have not had any security breach since we open this place over ten years ago,” she said

Many residents attribute this newfound peace to the dedicated efforts of leadership at the local level.

Mala Yusuf, a trader in Gomari area, also commended the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, for their unwavering commitment and personal sacrifices toward ending the insurgency.

As streets grow better lit and families walk freely under the night sky, the pervasive anxiety that once dictated every daily decision is slowly being replaced by cautious optimism.

For the people of Maiduguri, the return of the night market is not just a convenience—it is the triumphant resurrection of their city’s spirit.