Bauchi – Residents of Bauchi metropolis have expressed concern over the activities of some horse riders that had posed threat to lives of innocent people.

Expressing their feelings in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Monday, they said that some horse riders, mostly youths, had turned the highways to a horse-riding arena, causing accidents and sometimes killing pedestrians.

Hajiya Rashida Yusuf, a civil servant, narrated how she witnessed an incident where a horse-rider killed a pregnant woman.

“Sometimes ago, I was by the road side when a horse rider crushed a commercial motorcyclist that was carrying a pregnant woman.

“The woman died on the spot and the cyclist was seriously injured.

“I was also once a victim of the horse riders. My car mirror was equally bashed by a horse rider within the metropolis, sometime ago.

“Therefore something needs to done on the issue of riding horses in highways within the metropolis,” she said.
Another civil servant, Malam Salihu Adamu a, said that apart from the threat to lives, galloping dangerously on a tarred road amounted to act of cruelty to the animal.

“Horse riding is supposed to be on sandy ground because of the nature of the animal’s leg, as tarred roads could cause injury to the horse.

Mrs Amina Ahmed, a Journalist in Bauchi, told NAN how a 13 year-old horse rider crushed a motorcyclist and his passenger along a busy highway.

“The incident occurred along Ran road. The boy was plying the road, galloping dangerously, when the horse crushed the motorcyclist and his passenger.

“The victims, who gave their names as Jibrin Dare and Shehu Usman from Babi village, had to be rushed to the hospital by a Good Samaritan.

“The horse-rider however escaped unhurt but the horse sustained knee injury.

“The under-aged rider told us that the owner of the horse had sent him on an errand, covering a distance of about two km, and had given him the horse to ride in place of transport money,” she narrated.

Alhaji Adamu Ahmed, a horse rider who plays polo, while acknowledging the threat posed by horse riders within the metropolis, suggested that an alternative place be provided for whoever wanted to ride a horse.

According to him, the hobby of horse riding is fast gaining popularity among the youths, as such, a pitch for horse riding should be provided as an alternative.

In his contribution, Mr Mohammed Sanusi, a student, kicked against horse riding in town, suggesting that a law be enacted to moderate the activities of horse riders.

Speaking to NAN on the issue, Chairman, House Committee on Security, Bauchi State Assembly, Malam Iliyasu Zwal, said he had initiated a law moderating the activities of horse riders within the metropolis.

According to him, the law has been assented to by Gov. Isa Yuguda since August 2102, but is not been implemented.

Zwal narrated how he personally saw two separate accidents involving horse riders threatening the lives of innocent people.

“There was a time an elderly man riding a bicycle was knocked down and killed by a horse rider in my presence.

“A similar incident occurred in my presence along Palace Road, when a youth and a 70 year-old woman riding a motorcycle, were crushed by a horse rider.

“The young man was hurt but people around had a herculean task resuscitating the old woman, who sustained severe injury,” he said.

The lawmaker wondered why the law he initiated, was not being implemented.

“The law does not seek to stop horse riding completely, but to moderate same in such a way that the safety of innocent people is not jeopardized.

“Unfortunately, there is no implementation because those responsible for enforcement, the FRSC and police, are saying they do not have copies of the law,” he lamented.

In separate interviews, Bauchi Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Amos Buba and the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Hassan Mohammed, told NAN that they were yet to get copies of the law.

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Barr. Almustapha Suleiman, was not on seat when NAN visited his office several times, for his comment on the matter.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Muazu Abubakar, declined to speak, saying he could only do so on the orders of the commissioner.

NAN reports that the “Ceremonial Horse Riding (Restriction) Law” assented to by the governor, has made it mandatory for horse riders to obtain a permit, after paying N200,000, before being allowed to use horses during ceremonies.

It also provides for a fine of between N35,000 and N50,000 in cases of injuries and up to N150,000 if the action of any horse rider results in the death of any resident, as well as a provision for a maximum of three years imprisonment, among other provisions.