AEPB arrests 9 herdsmen, seize 25 cows

September 30, 2016 11:41 PM

Nine herdsmen have been arrested and 25 cows seized by AEPB over illegal grazing in Abuja.

Cattle grazing near major roads in Abuja (SaharaReporters)

The acting Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, has revealed the arrest of nine

ALSO READ: Herdsman sentenced to 2 years in prison for illegal grazing

The Director of the board, Mrs Omolola Olanipekun, made the disclosure on Friday, September 30 at a press briefing in Abuja.

Olanipekun said that the affected herdsmen have been penalised in the form of fines imposed by the mobile court ranging from N3,000 to N7,000.

She went on to add that 589 street hawkers were also arrested and subsequently fine by the mobile court.

“We don’t want a repeat of what is happening in other states, we don’t want loss of lives because of cattle.

“We have met with the cattle rearers and they promised that they would try and get their people off the streets, but unfortunately, they did not fully comply. We have been arresting them and we discovered that there is another group that we have not met.

“We are preparing to meet with them and let them know that we don’t want cows in the city. If we start killing them (cattle) like the senator wants us to do, they would react and we don’t want bloodshed here. Very soon, I promise, the cattle would be where they are supposed to be,” she said.

ALSO READ: 11 states donated 55,000 hectares for grazing - Audu Ogbeh

The Senate had earlier called for the slaughtering of cows found in the city centre via its Committee Chairman on FCT, Senator Dino Melaye.