The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, has said the implementation of the anti-open grazing law in the state has begun.

He added that that all the enforcement agencies in the state will join hands to enforce the law.

Recall that the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday signed the bill prohibiting open cattle grazing and trespass of cattle on land into law.

Omotoso, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, said a task force, comprising all the law enforcement agencies in the state, was being put together.

He said, “As soon as the governor signs a bill into law, it takes immediate effect. Anybody who begins to do anything against the provisions of the law is liable and will be arrested. There are law enforcement agencies that are looking at such things.

“For the law to be so effective, that is why we want to have a task force comprising people from our law enforcement agencies; the police, the neighborhood watch and all of the law enforcement agencies that we are familiar with.”

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Other provisions of the law state, “Any per that owns or is in control of cattle and causes or permits such cattle to graze on any land that does not belong to the owner of the cattle or is not within an area designated for cattle grazing commits an offence and is liable on conviction to payment of fine of N50,000 per head of cattle or payment for the costs incurred for impounding and maintaining the cattle by the order of court.

“Any person who owns or is in control of cattle and is a second time offender, shall on conviction be liable to permanent forfeiture of the cattle and payment of a fine of N100,000 or permanent forfeiture of the cattle and a term of one year in prison.”

The law also forbids grazing on enclosed land without obtaining approval from the state government, as offenders in this category are liable on conviction to a term of five years in prison or a fine of N10m.

“Any person who forcibly opposes the seizure of cattle liable to be seized as provided under this law, or forcibly retrieves the cattle after seizure commits an offence and is liable to a maximum term of six months in prison or a maximum fine of N250,000 or both,” the law partly reads.