A Farmers-Herders Special Court in Jigawa State has sentenced nine herders over the destruction of farmlands valued at more than N700 million in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.
The judgment was delivered on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, by Magistrate Yusuf Rabiu Abubakar.
The court found the defendants guilty of conspiracy, mischief by fire, damage to farm produce and breach of public peace, offences punishable under the Jigawa State Penal Code.
The case, instituted by the Commissioner of Police in 2023, arose from incidents in Gayawa, Gurjiya, Kursa and the Tukuda forest areas, where the herders were accused of jointly destroying crops and agricultural equipment belonging to several farmers.
Prosecution evidence showed that approximately 1,500 hectares of farmland were affected, causing losses estimated at over N700 million.
The destruction disrupted farming activities and heightened tension across the affected communities.
Magistrate Abubakar sentenced each of the nine convicts to one month imprisonment on each count, with an option of a N10,000 fine per count.
The court also ordered the payment of N500 million as compensation to the affected farmers, to be distributed equitably.
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The defendants were further 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, Engr. Auwalu Garba, for damage to tractor tyres and a motorcycle during the incidents.
Reacting to the judgment, Garba described the ruling as a strong deterrent against farmland destruction and urged farmers and herders to respect grazing routes, avoid encroaching on farmlands and resolve disputes through peaceful means.
The conviction marks a significant enforcement action in Jigawa State, where recurring farmers-herders conflicts continue to threaten agricultural productivity and community stability.