By Ishola Adeleke, YeyeNews.com, November 9, 2021
Cows have occupied an office building in the Nigerian city of Gboko in Benue State as the herders in charge of the cows claimed that the building was standing on a route they had used for many years in their grazing expeditions between Nigeria and Mauritania, a source who witnessed the event told YeyeNews.com.
According to the source as he narrated to YeyeNews.com, “the cows must have broken into the building at night. We couldn’t access the building in the morning when we came for the day’s work as the cows were already inside. All attempts to expel them have so far proved abortive. However, the herders who arrived the scene few hours later said they allowed the cows to travel ahead since they are familiar with the route but didn’t know a building is now standing along the path, though they didn’t see anything untoward in the cows occupying the building”.
A resident of the area told YeyeNews.com reporter that the building was constructed a few years ago. “This building was constructed here about three years ago. Cows used to pass this area but for over five years now we haven’t seen them around. Perhaps some of the cows had used the route years back and are already familiar with it. Now they have taken over. The herders are even saying the cows have a right over the grazing route and everything in it. More cows have arrived and are all resting inside the building”.
However, a member of Miyetti Allah in Benue State who spoke to YeyeNews.com said that it was necessary to preserve the grazing routes. “Even the Nigerian president has recognized the need to preserve our ancient grazing routes. It is wrong to build a house or any facility along a grazing route just as it is not allowed to build on or along a petroleum pipeline. The cows are protected by the constitution the same way as the pipelines. So nobody should castigate the herders for the cows breaking into a building along their legitimate grazing route”, the source said.
