Kill your cock! Court orders after noise pollution complaint by neigbours

By Agencies

Kano – A Nigerian court has ordered the slaughter of a rooster on Friday after a noise pollution complaint by neighbours, according to a local media report.

The court in northern city of Kano on Tuesday declared the cockerel a nuisance to the neighbourhood after constant crowing that two neighbours said deprived them of their sleep, Premium Times news website reports.

One of the neighbours, Yusuf Muhammed, told the court that the rooster’s relentless crowing was an infringement of his right to a restful sleep.

Isyaku Shu’aibu told the court that he had bought the bird for Good Friday celebrations and asked to be given until the Christian holy day before killing it for a family feast.

Magistrate Halima Wali granted the request but warned him to prevent the cockerel from roaming the area and disturbing residents, the Daily Trust news website adds.

He was also ordered to ensure he slaughters the bird on Friday as promised or face a penalty.

This court ruling joins the list of bizarre court rulings to be reported in the past, with one notable being; In 1999, Pepsi ran an advert in the USA about a points scheme in which a teenager shows up in a Harrier jump jet, with the text: “HARRIER FIGHTER 7,000,000 PEPSI POINTS”. An enterprising 21-year-old saw that points could be bought for 10c each, and sent in a cheque for $700,008.50 to gain the required 7,000,000 points. When Pepsi refused to let him claim a jet worth roughly $23 million, he took them to court for breach of contract.
Disappointingly, Leonard’s claim was rejected on the basis that no one could reasonably take the advert’s offer seriously. But the court’s observations make for a great source of deadpan humour, with comments such as “the callow youth featured in the commercial is a highly improbable pilot, one who could barely be trusted with the keys to his parents’ car, much less the prize aircraft of the United States Marine Corps.”