The Nigeria Army has banned the riding of horses by traditional rulers and the general public in Borno State.
It will be recalled that about 26 residents of two villages in Borno State were earlier this week killed by a 5-man gang of horse-riding Boko Haram terrorists in Damboa local government area of the state.
In a statement issued by the spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigeria Army stationed in Maiduguri, Colonel Tukur Gusau, the ban had become necessary in light of a deadly terrorist attack executed by horse-raiding Boko Haram insurgents.
According to Col. Gusau, anyone caught riding a horse would be regarded as a terrorist and punished accordingly.
The statement was issued during the destruction of dry fish worth millions of naira which were seized from the Boko Haram insurgents at different locations in Borno State.
Furthermore, Col. Gusau disclosed that the seized dry fish was another source of funding for the terrorists that had been truncated. He disclosed that the seized fish consisted of 2,000 cartons of smoke fish and dry meat that the insurgents carted away from innocent traders.
He pleaded with the public to come forward with any information that could assist the military in intercepting Boko Haram supplies.
Horses are commonly used during the rainy season because they can be used to traverse the marshy terrain.