7th November, 2022
The Police in Maiduguri on Monday released a sheep detained for eating up a heap of fried fish displayed for sale at Bulabulin Ward of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
The arrest and detention of the mother sheep and its two lambs took place on Sunday evening, an action that created a stir.
The arrest was made following a complaint lodged at the Bulabulin Divisional Police headquarters by one Yusuf Ibrahim who sells fish along a busy road in the neighborhood.
He complained that the sheep in question had terrorized him for years by laying in wait for him to be carried away and then pouncing on the stock of fried fish and making a mouthful grab of a chunk until he or bystanders realize and chase her away.
However, Ibrahim, the fried fish seller who caused a stir by causing a sheep to be arrested and detained by the Police, said he has forgiven the offending sheep.
It has since been released by the Bulabulin Divisional Police Headquarters on account of a settlement brokered.
The fish seller had complained bitterly that the sheep belonging to Luba Mohammed of the same Bulabulin neighborhood had caused him losses by raiding his selling point and taking mouthfuls of fried fish for upward of five years.
The raid yesterday, he said, was huge and he cannot just forgo it. As a result, it was arrested and detained by the Police on Sunday.
Yusuf confirmed to a reporter that elders in the community succeeded in talking him into forgiving the transgression.
The owner of the sheep, Luba Mohammed had mobilized community elders to intercede.
The fish seller said he has given conditions that what happened should not repeat itself.
He extracted commitment from the owner to take care of her animals. Any repeat, it was agreed, will lead to legal action for redress.