Peeved by the continued movement of cattle in Abuja metropolis in despite several warnings to their owners by the Federal Capital Territory Authorities, the Senate, through its Committee on FCT, yesterday, asked residents of the area to, henceforth, slaughter cows found in the city centre.
The directive was handed down to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, by Chairman of the committee, Senator Dino Melaye, (APC, Kogi West), when he appeared before the committee, yesterday.
Melaye, who gave the order in a speech read at the session, said it was very disappointing, annoying and embarrassing that despite the ban placed on cattle grazing in FCT by FCTA authority, some stubborn herdsmen were still moving cows along and across highways within the metropolis.
He ordered the FCT Minister to go beyond the ban by facilitating the slaughtering order issued by the senate committee.
Melaye told the minister, “the Senate is not happy at how herdsmen continue to move their cows across the city centre, which we are aware you had given directive against some time ago.
“From now on, get knives and ask your men to slaughter cows found in the capital city or prosecute herdsmen seen with cows in the city centre with a fine of N50,000 per cow. This order must be carried out.”
Melaye further revealed that the Senate was in receipt of complaints that some residents of the territory were converting their apartments into hotels and brothels, a situation he said was distorting the original master plan of the city.
He noted that some people were already undermining FCT authority under his watch, which he said was unacceptable.
