Jigawa Court Jails Nine Herders over ₦700 Million Farmland Destruction

News in brief:

-Nine herders were convicted for destroying about 1,500 hectares of farmland in Jigawa State.

-The court ordered ₦500 million compensation to affected farmers and imposed jail terms with fines.

The Jigawa State Farmers–Herders Special Court, sitting in Dutse, has convicted and sentenced nine herders for the destruction of farmlands and breach of public peace, in a landmark judgment aimed at curbing farmer–herder conflicts in the state.

The defendants were found guilty of conspiracy, mischief by fire, damage to farm produce and disturbance of public peace under the Penal Code Laws of Jigawa State.

Offences Committed Across Multiple Communities

The case, instituted in 2023 by the Commissioner of Police, revealed that the offences were committed in Gayawa, Gurjiya, Kursa and Tukuda forest areas of Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.

Delivering judgment, the presiding Magistrate, Yusuf Rabiu Abubakar, held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to the court, evidence showed that the convicts jointly destroyed crops and farming tools across approximately 1,500 hectares of farmland.

The destruction resulted in losses estimated at over ₦700 million, affecting several farmers within the affected communities.

The Magistrate disclosed that the prosecution called 12 witnesses whose testimonies were credible and convincing, while the defence failed to call any witnesses or present evidence to counter the allegations.

Jail Terms, Fines and Compensation

The court sentenced each of the nine convicts to one month imprisonment on each count, with an option of a ₦10,000 fine per count.

In addition, the court ordered the payment of ₦500 million in compensation to the affected farmers, to be shared equitably.

The convicts were also directed to jointly pay ₦500,000 to the complainants and another ₦500,000 to the Jigawa State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Engineer Auwalu Garba, as compensation for damage to tractor tyres and a motorcycle.

AFAN Describes Ruling as Deterrent

Reacting to the judgment, Engineer Garba described the ruling as a strong deterrent and a major boost to farmers’ confidence.

He urged both farmers and herders to remain law-abiding and peaceful, warning against encroachment into grazing routes and forest reserves, and cautioned against taking the law into their own hands.

The judgment is widely seen as a firm signal by the Jigawa State Government and the judiciary to protect agricultural livelihoods, strengthen food security and promote peaceful coexistence across farming communities.