Herdsman bags 5-year imprisonment as Oyo invokes anti-open grazing law

…to be released on option of fine

Having promulgated an anti-open grazing law in 2019 to regulate grazing and movement of herdsmen and their cattle within the State, the Oyo State Government has arrested a herdsman and his cattle in Ibadan for flouting the law.

Enforcing the anti-grazing law in Ibadan on Friday, the Taskforce Team of Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA) apprehended a number of cows grazing along the fence of the Oyo State Secretariat at Agodi, Ibadan, the State Capital and the herdsman, named, Nurudeen Semiu, given a 5-year imprisonment with an option of fine to the tune of N1.7 million.

The cows, which were arrested for the violation of environmentally and agriculturally-related code, were later handed over to the State Ministry of Agriculture.

Speaking on the offence which was against the extant laws on the anti-open grazing as passed by the State in 2019, Justice Aderonke Aderemi, the Chairperson, Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority, ordered for the prosecution of the offender without further delay.

Sitting at the Tribunal on the charge number OYRLEA/19/12/2024 which was held at the Ministry of Environment, N.Y. Aderibigbe, the prosecuting counsel levied a four count charge on the offender, drawn from the Anti-Open Grazing Law of Oyo State, 2019.

The offender, Nurudeen Semiu, on arraignment acceded to the first two of the charges and pleaded not guilty on others.

At the end of the trial, the presiding officer, Kunle Abimbola, pronounced judgement as it relates to open rearing count charges and the option of N1,7 million fine or five years imprisonment was admitted on the offender.