2 Herders Arraigned In Court Over Unlawful Grazing

Two herders: Shehu Umaru (40) and Muhammadu Riskua (30), have been arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged unlawful grazing.

The defendants, of unknown addresses, are facing a charge of unlawful grazing.

The prosecutor, ASP Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court yesterday that they committed the offence on August.11 at about 2:00 p.m in Itapaji-Ekiti.

According the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the prosector claimed that the defendants unlawfully graze their cattle in an unauthorised farmland at Itapaji-Ekiti forest.

Oriyomi said that the offence contravened Section 2 and punishable under Section 7 of the Prohibition of Cattle and Other Ruminant Grazing in Ekiti State Law, 2016.

He urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him to study the case file and assemble his witnesses.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

Their counsel, Mr Gboyega Abiola, urged the court to grant them bail, with a promise that they would not jump bail.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N50,000 each, with one surety each in like sum.

He adjourned the case till September 14 for hearing.