The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nysom Wike, says he is exercising restraint about stopping the indiscriminate herding of cows on Abuja roads, describing it as a matter of national security.

Mr Wike disclosed this during his monthly chat with journalists in Abuja on Monday.

“You talked about cows, let’s see how we’re going to take these cows out of the city. It is an eyesore, it’s not fair, it’s not good. People will find a way to say we are pursuing cows. It’s an issue of national security. We’re being careful. It’s not about the election,” he said.

When journalists reminded Mr Wike that in 2024, he vowed to take cows off the streets but had failed to do so by 2026, he apologised for his administration’s failure to keep that promise and accused the media of not supporting the idea at the time.

He said, “When I said that, I expected you, in your own media houses, to say, look, what the honourable minister said is correct, we should not allow this. Instead of you to project us, you guys just kept on saying things.

“I apologise that up till now, there are cows still roaming the streets of Abuja. I take responsibility for that, but it’s not as easy as you’re saying it here.”

Mr Wike, however, stated that the Minister of Livestock, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, had been in discussions with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and other related groups to determine how the cows could be taken off the roads.

“The new minister of livestock has done quite a lot. He is supporting Mr President, and he is talking with Miyetti Allah to see how we can take these cows off the roads to where they should be,” he said.