Fulani herdsmen violating Lagos traffic law – Lawmakers

Eromosele Ebhomele

Lawmakers at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday called on the governor of the state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to pressure law enforcement agents into discouraging the activities of Fulani herdsmen on roads in the state.

The lawmakers lamented that herdsmen take over roads with impunity despite the fact that parading on roads with animals violates Section 3, Sub-section 1 and Section 24 the state Traffic Law.

According to the lawmakers, the herdsmen block roads and create trouble for motorists. They also block dedicated roads like that used for the Bus Rapid Transit scheme of the state.

Majority Leader of the House, Sanai Agunbiade, who moved the motion, noted that cattle rearers now take to BRT lanes despite knowing that these roads are not ranches of fields where the cattle could get grass.

The motion seems to stem what could be a repetition of the various clashes between herdsmen and community dwellers in some parts of Nigeria.

Many of these clashes have led to the death of people and abduction in some others.

Agunbiade said he witnessed the development between Owode Onirin and Mile 12 on Thursday afternoon and pleaded that this act be curbed before it goes beyond what the state could handle.

In his contribution, Rotimi Olowo, who chairs the committee on Budget and Economic Planning, noted that the attendant negative effect of the development was alarming.

He urged that the Ministry of Information be directed to embark on an awareness campaign in various indigenous Nigerian languages to curtail the ill conduct.

Tobun Abiodun, another lawmaker, noted that the act brings to bare the careless attitude of Fulani herdsmen in the country.

According to him, these herdsmen, most times, discountenance the law that bars them from indulging in such act.

Abiodun said: “I see it as a ploy to cause public disorder on the part of the normadic cattle rearers.

“I have seen them wield AK 47 while guiding their livestock on the roads. This is uncalled for. They most times don’t care about what the law says.”

In his contribution, Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Olumuyiwa Jimoh, said the state needed to take the matter with all seriousness.

“I saw them on Mobile Road at Apapa, they also have a private abattoir at Shanti Barracks where animals are illegally butchered. Something drastic needs to be done to address the issue.”

Dayo Saka-Fafunmi, in his contribution, said: “we need to halt this development as Hausas rearing this cattle are not bound by our laws, they indiscriminately violates the laws.

“There is land with grazing areas in Badagry and Epe with less vehicular traffic, they should make do with that; they need to be stopped before the unexpected happens.”

The House moved that the governor should call on security operatives to attend to the issue urging further that the Federal Government should be briefed.

Speaking on the motion, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa wondered why cattle rearers would take over roads.

“A lot of dangers have arose due to the act; lots of people are maimed and killed.

A former Nigerian goalkeeper Dosu Joseph and Chief Olu Falae were victims.

“We should tame it before it goes out of hand; the livestock managing body and farms should halt illegal conducts of the herdsmen.

“The Federal Government should also do something about this,” he said.