The Jigawa State Farmers and Herders Special Court has mandated a group of cattle herders to pay N500 million in compensation to farmers for the devastation of their crops located within the Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.
On Tuesday, Judge Yusuf Abubakar rendered the verdict, referencing Sections 78, 19, and 322 of the Penal Code Law.
The case was filed by the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police against Ilu Adamu and eight others, culminating after an extensive two-year legal battle.
The accused faced a four-count charge, which included violating Section 97 of the Penal Code by permitting cattle to invade and damage cultivated farmland.
In addition, under Section 326, the defendants were also held accountable for setting fire to a tractor tire and a motorcycle owned by the state Chairperson of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The court further found them guilty of inflicting physical harm upon farmers, breaching Sections 332 and 114 of the Penal Code.
After assessing the evidence presented, the judge decreed that the convicted herders must compensate the affected farmers with N500 million. Moreover, they are to pay N500,000 to the Chairperson of AFAN for the loss of his property.
Following the judgment, the defendants were granted a 30-day window to challenge the ruling.
Auwalu Garba, representing the victims, characterized the verdict as a “victory for justice” and called on both herders and farmers to pursue peaceful coexistence.
The defense attorney refrained from commenting on the judgment.
The incidents in question took place in the Kwarsa, Larau, and Tukuda forest regions of the Birnin Kudu Local Government Area, notorious for recurring conflicts between farmers and herders over the years.
To expedite justice, Jigawa has established a dedicated court for farmers and herders aimed at addressing delays often encountered in traditional courts, which can lead to “vigilante justice” or retaliatory attacks.
Judges presiding in these special courts are knowledgeable about both the Penal Code and local land-use practices.
Additionally, the state has identified designated grazing reserves and cattle pathways (locally termed Burtali).
However, as the population increases, many of these routes have been illegally appropriated for farming purposes.
When herders attempt to utilize these traditional ways, they often cross through active farmland, leading to confrontations.
The strife between sedentary farmers and mobile or semi-nomadic pastoralists is driven by various intricate factors, predominantly competition for land and water resources. Climate change is exacerbating this by causing desertification in the northern regions, prompting herders to migrate southward in quest of water and pasture.
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