Allwell
Herdsmen have continued to move cattle on roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), defying the ban on open grazing by the FCT Administration.
Some of the herders were seen grazing their animals at the Idu Industrial Estate, Jabi bypass and the Gwarimpa Expressway in defiance of the directive that prohibited open grazing of animals by the FCTA.
The Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Hassan Abubakar, in an interview said that FCTA would seize any livestock found grazing in the country’s capital, adding that one month ultimatum issued to the pastoralists expired in February.
He said over 100 cattle earlier seized were returned after the court fined the owners, noting that any herdsman found grazing his animals on Abuja streets would be penalized heavily.
Hassan noted that a special team had been constituted to enforce the directive, and that the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, had earmarked five locations for RUGA in Abaji, Kwali and Kuje Area Councils.
According to The Punch, the herdsmen were not abiding by the directive as young children were seen leading cattle across major roads and in other places, thereby obstructing vehicular traffic.
But on Tuesday, Abubakar explained that a number of cattle, which violated the directive, had been seized and kept at a location in the Garki Area 3, adding that the AEPB would continue to sanction errant herdsmen.
When asked about the planned establishment of RUGA by the FCTA, the director said that it was the Agricultural Secretariat that will give an update on it.
The spokesperson for the Agricultural Secretariat, Aliyu Zakari, denied that the FCT was building RUGA for herdsmen, adding that there were grazing reserves where the pastoralists were expected to graze their livestock.
“It is not true that we are establishing RUGA for herdsmen; what we have are grazing reserves and those are where the herdsmen are expected to graze their animals,” he stated.
This story first appeared in Allwell
Connect with us on our socials: