The Farmers Herders Special Court of Jigawa State, sitting in Dutse, has convicted nine herders and sentenced them to various prison terms for offences related to the destruction of farmlands and breach of public peace.

The defendants were found guilty on multiple counts under relevant provisions of the Penal Code Laws of Jigawa State, following a case instituted in 2023 by the Commissioner of Police.

Delivering judgment, the presiding Magistrate, Yusuf Rabiu Abubakar, held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. He said the defendants were charged with offences including conspiracy, mischief by fire, damage to farm produce, and disturbance of public peace, contrary to Sections 97, 362, 332, 114, and 246 of the Penal Code.

The court noted that the offences were committed in Gayawa, Gurjiya, Kursa, and Tukuda forest areas in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of the state.

According to the magistrate, evidence before the court showed that the convicts jointly destroyed farm produce and farming implements across about 1,500 hectares of farmland, with losses estimated at over N700 million, affecting several farmers in the area.

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

Consequently, the court sentenced each of the nine convicts to one month imprisonment on each count, with an option of a N10,000 fine per count.

In addition, the court ordered the payment of N500 million as compensation to the affected farmers, to be distributed equitably.

The convicts were also directed to jointly pay N500,000 to the complainants and another N500,000 to the Jigawa State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Engr. Auwalu Garba, as compensation for damage to the tractor tyres and a motorcycle during the incident.

Reacting to the judgment, Engr. Garba expressed satisfaction with the ruling, describing it as a deterrent to others.

He urged farmers and herders to remain law-abiding and peaceful, warning against encroachment into grazing routes and forest reserves, as well as taking the law into their hands under any circumstances. (The Nation)