A bill prohibiting any Nigerian or foreigner from killing or shipping a donkey for commercial purposes has passed second reading in the House of Representatives yesterday.
The bill, sponsored by a lawmaker, Garba Datti Muhammad (APC Kaduna) stipulates 10 years imprisonment for anyone that breaks the proposed law.
Muhammad, while presenting arguments on the bill, said it seeks, among others, to prohibit the killing of donkeys in Nigeria and the exportation of donkeys or it’s carcasses or derivatives out of Nigeria.
He said this is because of the depletion in numbers and threat of extinction, and their aesthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational and scientific value to the nation and the people.
The lawmaker said the Bill also became necessary to preserve the donkeys for use, particularly in rural transportation.
“Recently, the donkey population is severely reduced. The reason ascribed to this development, like in many countries in the West African sub-region, is large-scale export to China. Read more