Court Orders Jigawa Herders to Pay N500m Compensation for Destroyed Crops
A Jigawa State farmers and herders special court has ordered nine cattle herders to pay N500 million as compensation to farmers whose crops were destroyed in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Yusuf Abubakar, who anchored the judgment on relevant provisions of the Penal Code, including Sections 78, 19 and 322.
The case was instituted by the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police against Ilu Adamu and eight other defendants after more than two years of legal proceedings.
According to Premium Times, the defendants were charged with four offences, including unlawfully allowing their cattle to stray into cultivated farmlands and cause extensive damage to crops, contrary to Section 97 of the Penal Code.
In his verdict, the judge also held the defendants liable for the destruction of property belonging to the state chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The court found that the herders set ablaze a tractor tyre and a motorcycle owned by the AFAN chairperson, an offence punishable under Section 326 of the Penal Code, and ordered them to pay N500,000 as compensation.
Justice Abubakar further ruled that the defendants inflicted bodily harm on some farmers during the incidents, an act which violated Sections 332 and 114 of the Penal Code.
After reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution, the court found the herders guilty on all counts.
Consequently, the court ordered the convicts to jointly pay N500 million in damages to the affected farmers.
The court also granted the defendants 30 days to appeal against the judgment.
The incidents that led to the trial occurred in the Kwarsa, Larau and Tukuda forest areas of Birnin Kudu LGA.
The affected communities have experienced recurring clashes between farmers and herders over land use and grazing rights.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
