By Oyebola Owolabi

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Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has signed the Anti-Open Grazing bill into law.

The law is to prohibit the open grazing and trespass of cattle and for connected purposes.

The House of Assembly passed the bill on September 9 after it scaled the second reading and it went through a public hearing.

This law criminalises cattle grazing in unapproved public areas and private lands.

The law also prohibits moving cattle around public places by herders.

Sanwo-Olu, who assented to the bill during the State’s Executive Council meeting on Monday, directed security agencies to begin enforcement immediately.

He said: “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.”

The Governor also signed a bill transforming the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) into a full-blown agency.

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The development coincided with the commemorative month dedicated to raising awareness on gender-based violence.

The Governor and members of the executive council 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.

After signing the law, Sanwo-Olu said: “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 government’s zero tolerance to all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. We will not rest until the menace is reduced to the barest minimum.”

Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi was thereafter announced as the agency’s Executive Secretary. Vivour-Adeniyi was the coordinator of the response team before the legislation changing it to an agency was signed into law.