13th August, 2023
By Moyo Fabiyi
Herds of cows have invaded the Ijagemo Community in the Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, turning the ancient town into a grazing reserve.
Save for undeveloped plots overgrown with weeds, Ijagemo is a serene, peaceful and neat town. But the cows at times move about without a shepherd, defecating everywhere and creating environmental nuisance.
The cows were first noticed on the Ijegun-Ijagemo Road. There they slept day and night.
However, they have now spread their tentacles to every nook and cranny in Ijagemo, feasting on vegetables and other crops planted by residents who are not privileged to have their property fenced.
In addition, they have defaced many streets with their feaces and nobody dare challenge the cows or their shepherds.
According to P.M.NEWS‘ findings, the cows belong to ‘a powerful man’ in the community who is believed to be well connected.
It will be recalled that the Lagos State Government during Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s first term of office enacted a law prohibiting open grazing of animals in the state.
The residents, therefore, appealed to the government to apply the provisions of its anti-open grazing law and save the community from the menace of these cows and their herders.