Some herdsmen and local farmers in the South-eastern part of Nigeria have shared losses with a dispute settled.
File Photo
Herdsmen in Anambra State are to pay for agricultural produce they damaged last year while aggrieved farmers who killed cows belonging to the herders are to compensate their owners.
This was the decision reached at a meeting between the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle breaders Association (MACBAN), community leaders, leaders of farmers association and government officials in the State.
The herdsmen also earned a two weeks ultimatum to make their payments to the affected farmers.
The ultimatum was handed over to them by the State Governor, Willie Obiano.
The South East zonal chairman of MACBA, Alhaji Idris Sadiq Gidado, confirmed the development in an interview with Vanguard Newspaper.
According to Gidado, they have N137,000 to pay the affected communities, adding that it was only Ufuma community that had outstanding compensation that would be paid in the next five days.
He listed Ezeagu, Mbaukwu, Okija, Omo, Aguleri and Ayamelum as communities who have so far been paid.
Gidado noted that while over hundred (100+) cows belonging to herdsmen were killed by angry farmers, Obiano ordered that seventy-eight (78) of them be paid for.
“Cattle that were killed last year by aggrieved farmers in some communities were more than 100, but governor Willie Obiano asked the communities to pay for 78 cattle whose cost stood at N50, 000 each,” he said.
The leader of the herdsmen disclosed that it was resolved that “if a herdsman destroys farmers crops, the owner of the cattle will pay heavy compensation to the farmers whose crops were destroyed while if a cattle is killed, the community will either produce the killer or pay compensation to the owner of the cattle at the current market value.”