‘We’ll seize cows, prosecute owners’ — FCTA warns against open grazing in Abuja

Osi Braimah, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) director, says his team will henceforth arrest herders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Braimah spoke on Thursday during a monitoring exercise.

The AEPB director said grazing along the streets of the FCT is illegal.

He added that the board has held several meetings with cattle rearing groups in a bid to curb the practice in the city. 

“We are going to be strict on enforcement until the city of Abuja is rid of animals,” NAN quoted Braimah as saying.

“The laws against grazing of animals in the FCT are quite clear. The extant laws and rules are that you are not allowed to keep animals on your property, and you are not allowed to graze animals on the streets of Abuja. Grazing along the airport road is illegal. 

“We must try to enforce these laws. We know that it’s getting serious now, when you live in Abuja you see animals grazing everywhere, cows everywhere, this is no longer acceptable.

“We are going to begin strict enforcement. We are going to seize these animals and take the violators to court soonest.

“Our prayer would be that the court confiscates those animals and gives them away because we have done all we can to mitigate these problems.”

Braimah also decried the rate of fatal accidents caused by cattle grazing.

“Safety rules are not known to these small boys who rear these animals. Even though we have armed policemen with us we always try to use minimal force against them,” he said. 

“We have appealed to their parents to make their children remain at home and not to be herding animals on the streets.

“We will not have and condone animals crossing the expressway. We will not also allow people to keep animals on their property.”