A farmers and herders special court in Jigawa State has ordered nine cattle herders to pay N500 million as compensation for farmlands destroyed in Birnin Kudu LGA of the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that the judgment was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Yusuf Abubakar, who relied on relevant sections of the Penal Code, including sections 78, 19, and 322, in reaching the decision.
The case was instituted by the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police against Ilu Adamu and eight other defendants after a prolonged legal process that lasted more than two years.
The court heard that the defendants unlawfully allowed their cattle to stray into cultivated farmlands, resulting in widespread destruction of crops across several farming communities.
The offences were said to be contrary to section 97 of the Penal Code. Evidence presented before the court showed that the damage affected multiple farmers and significantly disrupted agricultural activities in the area.
Justice Abubakar also held the herders liable for damage to property belonging to the state chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria.
According to the ruling, the defendants set fire to a tractor tyre and destroyed a motorcycle owned by the AFAN chairperson. For this offence, which falls under section 326 of the Penal Code, the court ordered the payment of N500,000 as compensation.
In addition, the court found that some farmers sustained injuries during the incidents. The judge ruled that the acts amounted to causing bodily harm, in violation of sections 332 and 114 of the Penal Code. After reviewing testimonies and exhibits tendered by the prosecution, the court convicted the herders on all counts.
As part of the judgment, the court directed the convicts to jointly pay N500 million to the affected farmers as damages. The defendants were also given 30 days to exercise their right of appeal.
The incidents that led to the trial occurred in the Kwarsa, Larau and Tukuda forest areas of Birnin Kudu LGA. These locations have recorded repeated disputes linked to grazing routes, farmland encroachment, and access to water sources.
Farmer-herder clashes have remained a recurring challenge in parts of Jigawa and other northern states, often leading to loss of livelihoods, displacement, and rising tension between rural communities.
Jigawa State Government has, in recent years, established special courts and strengthened local conflict-resolution mechanisms as part of efforts to address such disputes and protect agricultural production.
