A fully loaded Air Peace Plane, narrowly escaped tragedy on Thursday, after noticing the runway had been invaded by a bunch of cattle, just as it was about to land at the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri.
A passenger aboard the flight, Mr Richard Akinnola, gave account of the incident, saying the pilot was forced to hover around the airport until the runway was cleared by the airport security.
The passengers, who initially thought the pilot deliberately aborted landing, applauded him after being told that a major disaster was averted.
The Port-Harcourt International Airport runway has once been invaded by cows while an approaching Air France plane was reported to have collided with some of the cows.
Anti-Grazing Bill
Herdmen have in recent times been warned to desist from public grazing of cattle, as it is observed to interfere with normal human activity.
The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, had in August signed an Anti- Grazing bill into law in a bid to curtail the alleged inordinate activities of herdsmen.
The Governor described as “shameful” the practice of herdsmen rearing cows in cities, including the nation’s capital, Abuja
Governor Fayose also threatened to charge any cattle rearer found in the state carrying arms while grazing, with terrorism.
According to him, the state government is already working with local
government officials for the allocation of portions of land for grazing to all
local government authorities in the state, an initiative the government hopes will curtail the illegal grazing of cattle.
The Anti-Grazing Law also provides that any herdsman caught with firearms or other weapons during grazing activities would be charged with terrorism and their cattle confiscated.
