By Pius Awunah
Today,on the major highways of Abuja,the Federal Capital City, it has become a common sight to see cows competing with motorists for right of passage.
Despite official bans on open grazing, cattle frequently move along major roads, causing traffic congestion, creating safety hazards, and drawing widespread public frustration.
The Nyesom Wike’s administration,for instance, on the assumption of office, warned them to stay away from the Federal Capital Territory and vowed to end open grazing in the capital city.
But today, herds of cattle with their herders are seen on highways and major roads contesting for space with motorists,thus,causing traffic snarls and dotting the city with cattle dungs.
Though Abuja is not the only city in the country where cattle herders move freely with their herds disrupting vehicular movements,it is worrisome that the FCT which is being touted as an emerging city could be allowed to experience the menace of open grazing despite the minister’s warning and vow to stamp out open grazing.
Over time, members of the Task Force Team from the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) are seen moving around the city centre harassing and arresting petty traders and hawkers in the bid to keep Abuja clean, but the same task force members turn a blind eye to the menace of the herders and their cattle.
Recently, a herder and his cattle were seen around the vicinity of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja,close to the British Council-an area without any lush grass to feed the cattle! What was the motive for grazing around the area and without any reprimand?
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the cows are owned by the big shots in the society while the herders are mere errand boys, hence,no concrete action is taken against their menace.
Other factors responsible for the open grazing on Abuja’s roads include
shrinking grazing land,climate change and rapid urban development in Nigeria which have significantly reduced traditional grazing areas in the northern parts of the country, forcing herders to move their livestock further south and into cities like Abuja in search of pasture.
Also,weak enforcement of open grazing ban-while the Abuja city administration has officially banned the movement of cattle on public roads since 2016, enforcement has been inconsistent.
Herders have continued to ignore the rules, sometimes being fined or having their cows temporarily confiscated, but often returning.
Similarly, the socio-political context where herdsmen-farmer conflict is a sensitive issue in Nigeria,is another contributing factor. Some herders and their groups have pushed for grazing routes and access rights in different parts of the country, leading to political and ethnic tensions.
Ownership of cattle.Like explained earlier, enforcement is complicated by the fact that the herders on the streets are often not the owners of the cattle. This makes it difficult to trace and hold the actual owners responsible for flouting the ban.
Concerned Abuja residents have called for dedicated reserves to confine livestock and stop open grazing within city limits.
Abuja has some grazing reserves, which should be used as ranches to guide against traffic congestion and road hazards caused by the livestock, with some causing near misses and accidents.
It is a dent on the status of Abuja as an emerging capital city.Ironically, drivers in the nation’s capital hardly slow down for pedestrians crossing major highways but they can wait minutes on end for the herds of cattle to crawl and pass before driving further for fear of confrontation with herdsmen and the hidden owners of the cows.
The spokesperson for the Abuja Environmental Protection Board(AEPB), Mrs. Peni Janet declined to comment on the matter when contacted,saying that she was not competent to speak on the issue.
