Hazat Sule, the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, on Wednesday, disclosed that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the FCT Task Team on environmental sanitation have read Fulani herdsmen the riot act of grazing in the vicinity of the Federal Capital Territory.
THE WHISTLER recalls that the FCT minister, after an emergency FCT Security Committee meeting, on September 19, banned beggars, hawkers, herdsman and motorcyclists (Okada) from operating within the FCT.
Recall also that the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye, had urged the FCT minister to ask his men to slaughter cows and prosecute herdsmen found grazing in the city centre.
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“In the seven days exercise so far, 36 cows and 38 sheep have been impounded, while 16 herdsmen have been arraigned and convicted by the Sanitation Mobile Court, Sule said.
“The AEPB and the Task Team tendered the impounded cows and sheep as exhibit to secure the conviction of the arrested herdsmen.
“The exercise is sequel to the directive of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, for the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and the FCT Task Team on Environment to stop cattle grazing within Abuja metropolis.
“Those arrested have been made to face the consequences of their actions as they had paid various fines to serve as a deterrent to others with a strong warning to desist from doing same.
“The exercise that commenced about seven days ago by the AEPB and the Task Team, on the instruction of the minister, is a continuous one,” he added.