Court jails two herdsmen in Delta
A state High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has sentenced two herdsmen – Hassan Abidu and Yakubu Salem – to 20 years in jail with hard labour.
The duo are believed to be members of a group of armed nomads terrorising indigenes of Ibusa and its environs in Oshimili North Local Council of the state.
The trial judge (name withheld) yesterday found the two nomads guilty on a two-count charge of unlawful possession of firearms preferred against them by the state Attorney-General, punishable under Section 3 (1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R.II, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
The pair were each sentenced to 10 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
According to the prosecution, on or about February 23 last year and at about 0600 hours, the Ibusa Police Division received a distress call that a group of suspected herdsmen numbering about six were sighted around the Power Line area of the town armed with dangerous weapons, including firearms.
He said a team of anti-robbery personnel, on a tip-off, arrested Abidu and Salem and found on them of two unlicensed single barrel guns, which they claimed were for hunting.
According to him, the convicts feigned ignorance of the implications of going about with unauthorised firearms.
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3 Comments
Time to start treating these Fulani men as members of the civil society, & not as cattle they pretend to be.
We have for too long tolerated their animalistic behaviours.
They must either conform to the rules of the civil society or remain in the bush with their cattle, & thus be treated as stray wild animals when found in the civil society.
the best way to go about this. The law does not allow individuals to bear any kind of arms without a proper police permit and even at that it can be tough to get one so once you see an illiterate nomad with a weapon you know he got it illegally.
Arrest him and prosecute him for unlawful possession of arms.
I will be surprised if they come out of prison,….ever
We will review and take appropriate action.