A magistrate Court in Kano has sentenced five livestock owners to one-month imprisonment for destroying parts of government facilities while rearing their animals in restricted areas, in violation of the state’s sanitation and urban safety regulations.
The five convicts were sentenced for allowing their goats to roam freely and destroy public plants maintained for urban beautification and climate protection.
Their sentence was handed down by the Court after finding them guilty of vandalising state-owned greenery in violation of environmental and public order laws.
The livestock owners, led by Usman Abdullahi, faced prosecution by the Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for breaching Section 7(e) of the Kano State Public Health Law, 2019, which forbids actions that cause environmental harm or degrade public property.
During their trial, state prosecutor Bahijjah Aliyu informed the court that 17 goats owned by the defendants were caught grazing on landscaped greenery cultivated to improve the city’s appearance and support climate change mitigation.
“These plants serve a greater purpose than aesthetics; they’re part of our broader environmental strategy to enhance urban living conditions and combat climate challenges,” Aliyu stated.
Following the evidence presented by the prosecutor, the court sentenced each defendant to one month in jail, with an option of paying a ₦25,000 fine.
In addition to the sentence, the group was ordered to jointly pay ₦100,000 in compensation to the government for the damage caused to the plants.
In a follow-up statement, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change underscored the need for responsible livestock management and warned that stray animals within city boundaries would not be tolerated.
“Residents must understand that allowing animals to roam and destroy public assets is unacceptable,” the Ministry emphasised.
