Herdsmen, Beggars and Hawkers Banned in Abuja

Herdsmen, Beggars and Hawkers Banned in Abuja

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Muhammad Bello has restated government’s position that herdsmen, hawkers, beggars and commercial motorcycles remain banned in Abuja.

Mr Bello after an emergency meeting with the FCT security committee urged security agencies to enforce the ban while also promising the maximum cooperation of his office.

The FCT minister said that the institutions must be strengthened to carry out their statutory duties in line with the Change agenda of the Federal Government, reports the Nation.

Road users in Abuja have at different times complained about the frightening sight of herdsmen and their cattle freely roaming the expressway in Nigeria’s capital city.

These cows on the highway of Abuja go to show that all animals indeed are equal pic.twitter.com/RHkGD3aeLR

— Kryss'd boss Molokwu (@kryssthaboss) August 9, 2016

These days in Abuja, when you're calculating how long it'll take to your destination, add 2 extra minutes 4 d cows crossing roads. Shameful.

— Onyekwado Iwegbu (@suanuu) September 11, 2016

Since our president got in, Cows have been catwalking on the roads of Abuja. Bet y?

— PATE (@_Drizzle) September 1, 2016

Are there no health & Safety implications for cow herding in a city like Abuja Nigeria? Its becoming embarrassing to see cows everywhere

— Iyah Iyah (@critical2000) August 26, 2016

The fears of residents are not misplaced as Fulani herdsmen have been accused of carrying out several attacks on farming communities in different parts of the country.

Recently, the Ekiti state government banned the herdsmen from grazing in the state, in response to reports of attacks and kidnap incidents linked to the herdsmen in the state. This week, one herdsman was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for violating the law.

With the report that grazing has now been banned in Abuja and the expected enforcement of the ban, residents may heave some sigh of relief.

Beyond Abuja, a number of states including Lagos and Abuja have also outlawed street trading, hawking and begging.

The FCT security committee stated that about 687 beggars and destitute have been arrested. The committee condemned the illegal attempt by some criminals who stormed the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre, Kuchiko in Bwari Area Council, trying to rescue some of the arrested persons.

The FCT minister commended the security community for the high-level intelligence sharing that had so far assisted the administration to nip in the bud any security breach in the territory.

The committee also decried the illegal use of uncompleted buildings by destitute people, miscreants and criminals in the city.