Nigerian policemen

The Jigawa Commissioner of Police, Mr Rasheed Akintunde on Monday, expressed concern over the presence of stray camels roaming the streets in some parts of the state.

The commissioner made the observation in Dutse during a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss the security challenge of strange camels on the streets and on the highways.

He said the police would henceforth prosecute owners of such animals with existing state law which spells out some penalties to be meted out on anyone that allowed the animals into farms.

The police commissioner also warned that such animals would be apprehended, and sold to compensate owners of farmland destroyed by the animals.

He said available reports have showed that the camels have been destroying farmlands and causing accidents in some areas.

He said necessary measures would be taken to address the situation before they cause further damage.

The commissioner said that the meeting was convened in order to identify owners of the camels with a view to addressing the security challenge.

Akintunde noted that it was worrisome for a large number of camels to infiltrate the state without their guide controlling them or identifying owners of such animals.

In his remarks, the Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Gagarawa Local Government Area, Malam Badamasiu Ya’u, also expressed similar concerns.

He alleged that a Chadian woman brought as much as 3,000 camels to his area and other neighbourhood.

Ya’u urged the police authority to take the matter with the seriousness it deserves before it gets out of control.

“Those moving around with the camels do not understand Hausa language, but we have been hearing them speaking only Arabic language,”he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by government officials, representatives of Immigration, Cattle breeders Association, Farmers, NURTW and Vigilante Groups, among others.

(NAN)