Elephants destroying farms in Kebbi, commissioner alerts

Kebbi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Attairu Machido, has raised an alarm over elephants’ invasion of farms in parts of the state.

He said for the past two weeks elephants have been destroying farms in Bagudo and Kokobese local councils thereby worsening the farmers and herders crisis in the state.

Speaking on the sidelines of the National Agroecology and Climate Justice Summit organised by Action Aid Nigeria yesterday in Abuja, he said it was the first time elephants were invading farms in the area.

He pointed out that farmers used to contend with hippopotamus on the farms, but confirmed that the situation was not as disastrous as the elephants now destroying farms.

The commissioner disclosed that the Kebbi State government had reported the threat to the Ministry of Environment and assured farmers that government would compensate them for their crops that have been destroyed to avoid clashes between farmers and the elephants.