Two herders on Friday were charged before the Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan,  over alleged  destruction and malicious damage to a maize and cassava farm.

The police charged Muhammodu Sheu and Idrisa Aliu with four counts of conspiracy, trespass, destruction and negligence, NAN reported.

Police prosecutor Ade Adebusuyi told the court Messrs. Sheu and Aliu allegedly conspired with others at large to commit the act of malicious damage.

Mr. Adebusuyi said that Messrs. Sheu and Aliu allowed their cows to enter a farm and maliciously damaged 10 acres of maize and cassava farm worth N3,6 million, property of Alhaji Abimbola Dauda of Agbedegun village, Ido Local Government Area, Ibadan.

The defendants committed the offence on September 9, at about 2:00 a.m., court documents said

The offence contravened the provision of sections 81, 344, 451, 516 and 516A of the Criminal Code of Oyo State 2000.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

Chief Magistrate Olaide Hamzat admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N1 million each, with two sureties each.

Mr. Hamzat adjourned the matter until November 11 for definite hearing.

Farmer-Herder clashes have become rife across the country in recent years. While the federal government has face criticism for not being proactive enough against the menace, some states have passed anti-open grazing laws to forestall violence and economic sabotage within their boundaries.