The Jigawa State Farmers and Herders Special Court has ordered nine defendants to jointly pay over N500 million as compensation to farmers whose farmlands were destroyed in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of the state.
Delivering the judgment, the Presiding Judge, Barrister Yusuf Rabiu Abubakar, said the decision was reached based on Sections 78, 19 and 322 of the Penal Code Law.
The case was instituted by the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police against Ilu Adamu and eight other defendants.
In the judgment, the court read out the charges and offences against the nine defendants, who were arraigned on four counts. These included destruction of farmlands by unlawfully allowing cattle to stray into cultivated areas, contrary to Section 97 of the Penal Code.
The defendants were also charged with mischief by fire under Section 326 of the Penal Code, which resulted in the burning of a tractor tyre and a motorcycle belonging to the Jigawa State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN). Other charges included causing bodily harm to farmers, contrary to Sections 332 and 114 of the Penal Code, among related offences.
After carefully evaluating the evidence presented before the court, Justice Yusuf Rabiu Abubakar ordered the nine convicts to jointly pay N500 million as compensation to the affected farmers.
The court also directed them to pay an additional N500,000 to the Jigawa State AFAN chairman for the damage caused to his tractor and motorcycle.
The court further granted the defendants a 30-day window within which to appeal the judgment.
Efforts to speak with defence counsel were unsuccessful, as the lawyer declined to comment to journalists.
Speaking on behalf of the affected farmers, Engineer Auwalu Garba expressed satisfaction with the judgment, describing it as a victory for justice. He called on both farmers and herders to respect the law and continue to coexist peacefully.
The case followed more than two years of legal proceedings arising from incidents involving the destruction of farmlands and farm inputs by some herders in the Kwarsa, Larau and Tukuda forest areas of Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
Jigawa court awards N500m compensation to farmers after herders’ attacks
