Suspected Herdsmen Destroy N6.6m Maize Farm In Ekiti Forest Reserves

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Suspected herdsmen in Ekiti state destroyed a multi-million-naira maize farm for members of the Maize Growers Processing Marketer Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN).

DailyTrust reports that the farm covering about 235 hectares of land is at the state forest reserve in Aduloju farmstead located along Ado-Ijan road in Ado local government area of the state.

Confirming this development, the state secretary of the association, Tope Emmanuel said the herders had been terrorizing the farmers in the last one week leading to the destruction of the maize farm. Emmanuel said the herders stormed the farm at night with dangerous weapons to feed their cows and, “all efforts to stop them have been rebuffed.”

He added that members obtained about N6.6m loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the anchor borrowers’ programme in September to plant the maize, adding that the 160 members had been left with nothing to cultivate.

Also confirming the incident, the Ekiti Amotekun corps commander, Brig-Gen Joe Komolafe (retd) said “We are handling the situation.”