… Upgrades ‘Domestic, Sexual Violence Team’ to agency***

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday assented to the bill prohibiting Open Cattle Grazing and Trespass of Cattle on Land.

Sanwo-Olu signed the legislation into law, 11 days after it was unanimously passed by the State House of Assembly and transmitted to the Executive arm for authorisation.

Assenting to the bill during the state’s Executive Council meeting in Ikeja, the governor directed the security agencies to swing immediately into action and enforce provisions of the law.

”By the powers vested in me as the Governor of Lagos State, I am signing the bill on Open Cattle Grazing and Trespass of Cattle on Land into law.

“To prohibit issues associated with open grazing of livestock,” he said.

By implication, it is now criminal in Lagos for cattle rearers to occupy unapproved public areas and private land with their livestock for grazing.

The law also prohibits the act of moving cattle round public places by herders.

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The signing of the anti-open grazing law followed the decision of Southern Governors’ Forum in August, setting the September deadline to pass the law across member states.

There have been crises witnessed in some states resulting from alleged open grazing.

Although farmer-herder crisis is not pronounced in Lagos, the anti-open grazing law is expected to prevent the spillover of the menace into the state.

In a related development, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday signed legislation transforming the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) into a full-blown agency.

Sanwo-Olu signed the legislation during the state’s Executive Council meeting in Ikeja, as the state dedicated the month of September to raising awareness on gender-based violence.

The governor and members of the state’s cabinet wore attire with purple shades to support the campaign against sexual violence.

The DSVRT legislation provides for the establishment of Sexual Offenders’ Register that would help the state efficiently tackle violations in the communities.

”Raising awareness about domestic and sexual violence is an important piece of working to end the cycle of violence.

”It is important to reiterate the state government’s zero tolerance to all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. We will not rest on our oars until the menace is reduced to the barest minimum in Lagos,” he said.

The governor then appointed Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi as the Executive Secretary of the new agency.

Vivour-Adeniyi was the coordinator of the response team before the legislation was signed into law.