Residents Rename Abuja: Federal ‘Cattle’ Territory
Residents of Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have renamed it to Federal Cattle Territory in the face of the growing and free rein of cows in most parts of the city center.
Though there is a law against animal husbandry in the city center, herdsmen have largely roamed about with their herds unchallenged, most times holding up traffic and entering restricted zones.
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, charged with the mandate to control stray and wandering animals within the territory in line with the AEPB Act of 1997 appears helpless as the board is yet to prosecute any offender.
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Residents who spoke to The Whistler described the situation as disgraceful and sad, accusing the FCT Administration of only hounding hawkers while alleging discrimination based on tribe.
The FCTA had on September 17, 2015 reiterated the ban on herdsmen grazing their herds in the Federal Capital City in a statement by the former permanent secretary of the FCTA, Engr. John Chukwu warning herdsmen to desist forthwith or face the full wrath of the law.
But since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari more than 15 months ago, the cattle herders, mainly Fulani and Hausa, kinsmen of the president, have become more emboldened and defiant.
Most of those who spoke accused the FCTA authorities of according the Hausa-Fulani herders with special consideration while struggling Nigerians who hawk to make ends meet are chased to their deaths.
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Only recently, authorities in Abuja inaugurated a 200-man task force mainly of police, civil defence, VIO and even the military on enforcing environmental regulations, but they have largely ignored the herdsmen while chasing hawkers, mainly of South East and South South extractions sometimes to their deaths.
