*We can’t continue to see our women raped, people maimed and killed —Speaker

By Austin Ogwuda & Francis Igata

ENUGU—ENUGU State House of Assembly yesterday began public hearing on a Bill to make provisions for the control of nomadic cattle rearing in the state and it has already passed second reading.

Declaring the three-day public hearing open, speaker of the House, Mr. Eugene Odoh, cautioned against using inflammatory words while contributing during the hearing, no matter the anger.

Represented by the Leader of the House, Mr. Udo-Okoye of Awgu-North consistency, the speaker said:   “Yes it’s true that our women, both young and old, have been raped, maimed in their farmlands by cattle rearers in the state.

“These cattle rearers send their cows into the farmlands of our people where they destroy all their farm produce.

“They block the highways with their cattle, rob and kidnap our people. They abduct them and keep them captive in the bush and demand for ransom.

Gov. Chime of Enugu State

“That is why as a House elected to serve, represent and make laws for the good governance of our people, we can no longer fold our arms and watch our people being killed and maimed.”

The Bill provides for the establishment of grazing areas in each of the three senatorial zones of Enugu State and the nomadic cattle rearers shall ensure that the cattle are confined within the grazing areas as provided.

It further stipulated: “Any person who permits cattle to graze in an area not designated as grazing area in the state, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to six months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 or both.

“As from the commencement of this law, the commissioner shall appoint poundmasters in all the local government areas in the state, whose functions shall include the impounding of cattle found grazing in a non-designated grazing areas.

“Cattle found grazing in an area not designated a grazing area in the State shall be impounded by the poundmaster or any other person duly authorized by the commissioner. “Any cattle impounded under this law, which is not claimed within one week of the impounding shall be sold in accordance with auction law; the proceeds of the sale shall be deposited in the government revenue.”