TheCable

Two bills – prohibiting export and killing of donkeys,  and establishing the Nigerian Hunters’ Group – have both passed first reading at the senate.

While the donkey export and killing (prohibition) bill, 2020 is from the house of representatives, the proposed law for the establishment of the hunters group originated in the upper legislative chamber.

Biodun Olujimi, senator representing Ekiti south and former minority leader, is the sponsor of the hunters’ group bill.

Both legislations passed first reading after Nelson Ayewoh, clerk of senate, read short titles of the bills on Wednesday.

The bill prohibiting the export and killing of donkeys is seeking to address concerns that the animal could go into extinction.

There is a high demand for donkeys in China, where most of them are exported to.

The legislation is also seeking to “preserve aesthetic and historical values that the creatures personify”, according to the proceedings from the house.

The legislation provides a 10-year sentence for anyone “who kills, knowingly ship, transport, move, deliver, receive, possess, sell, or donate a donkey to be slaughtered either for human consumption or as food to other animals”.

It gives power to the federal government to take ownership of “any vehicle, vessel, aircraft or other thing whatsoever used in connection with the slaughtering and killing of the donkey”.