Sallah: Army restricts movement in Borno

The Nigerian Army has announced a restriction of movement in Borno State during the Eid El Kabir celebrations.

The restriction which will be in force from 5pm on Wednesday, September 23, 2015, till the end of the celebrations was disclosed on Wednesday by Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Tukur Gusau in a statement.

The Nigerian military has banned moving vehicles, bicycles, horses, donkeys and camels in northeastern Borno State during a Muslim holiday this week as a security measure to try to prevent Islamic extremist attacks.

But Boko Haram’s shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau denied the group was a spent force, describing the military claims as “lies” in an audio recording published via social media on Saturday.

He said a bomb explosion from a suicide bomber hit the Onion section of a local market at Monguno on Sunday evening, which resulted in the death of not less than 27 persons, mostly traders.

Amodu Abdullahi, a local technician, agreed that the ban on movement would likely have an adverse impact on turnout at mosques across the state. The decision was also an attempt to protect Nigerians during the Eid Kabir celebrations.

“Thanks to the security restrictions”, he told Anadolu Agency, “visiting friends and family in distant places – and the sharing of gifts – won’t be possible this year”.