Thousands of members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and seven other affiliate bodies have besieged the Taraba State House of Assembly to protest against a bill in the House that seeks to prohibit open grazing in the state.

The protesters who converged in Jalingo, the state capital, from 16 local government areas, took to major streets carrying placards.

The protesters later moved to the gate of the state House of Assembly where the chairman presented a protest letter to the speaker.

Sahabi Mahmud Tukur, state chairman of the Miyyetti Allah, said the bill contravened the Nigerian constitution and would cause hardship to cattle breeders.

“This obnoxious bill, if it is allowed to become a law, would be an infringement on the rights of citizens of this country,” Tukur said. He asked that the bill be jettisoned in the interest of everyone in the state.

Responding, Peter Diah, the speaker, said the bill would be subjected to public hearing across the three senatorial districts, and urged the Miyetti Allah and other members of the public to avail themselves of  the opportunity to express their reservations.

—  Jun 13, 2017 @ 11:50 GMT