The Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) has announced plans to restrict open grazing and the movement of cattle within Umuahia, the state capital, to prevent the city from being defaced by cow dung and to maintain a clean, healthy environment for residents.
The Deputy General Manager of ASEPA (Umuahia Zone), Mr. Ambrose Jonah, made this known on Monday during a stakeholder meeting with the traditional ruler of the Hausa community in Abia State, Sarkin Alhaji Yaro Danladi (also referred to as Alhaji Yaro Danladi).
Jonah emphasized that the move aligns with ASEPA’s mandate to ensure a conducive living environment across the state. He advocated for **ranching** as the preferred alternative to open grazing, noting that it is the only sustainable solution to recurring farmers-herders clashes.
“I want to thank the Hausa community in the state for the support they gave us in 2025. We are also looking forward to maintaining such harmony with them in 2026,” Jonah said. He highlighted the ongoing challenge of herders’ movements along major streets and in key areas of Umuahia, stating that discussions had already taken place with the community’s leader.
Jonah revealed that ASEPA would soon provide a list of restricted roads and locations — particularly those with government offices, major estates, and newly constructed roads — where cattle movement would no longer be permitted. A task force committee is also being established to monitor compliance and enforce the restrictions.
The ASEPA official urged all residents to continue supporting the agency’s efforts, as they did in 2025, and reminded the public that refuse disposal hours remain from 5pm to 6am. He stressed ASEPA’s goal of making Umuahia the cleanest state capital in Nigeria, while frowning on indiscriminate littering, illegal dumping, and overloading of waste trucks that spill refuse on roads. A separate task force will address these sanitation violations.
Responding to the directives, Sarkin Alhaji Yaro Danladi assured full cooperation from the herders. He pledged to interface with herder leaders and convene meetings to ensure compliance.
“The government is our own. And our matter is their matter. We are in support of whatever the deputy general manager has said,” Danladi stated. “Cows should not be parading in government-reserved areas. I will call some of the leaders of herders for a meeting so we will work together to achieve a common goal for the state.”
The initiative builds on previous efforts by the Abia State Government under Governor Alex Otti to promote urban cleanliness and orderliness, amid broader calls for ranching to resolve pastoralist-related environmental and conflict issues across Nigeria. Offenders face potential arrest and prosecution, according to ASEPA. The agency has yet to release the final list of restricted areas.
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