The Akwa Ibom Solicitor General, Mrs Mfon Edemekong Esq. has explained how farmers can seek justice over herders’ farm destruction, saying the process begins with a formal report to the police or the Ministry of Agriculture.
She spoke at the Inter-ministerial Briefing hosted by the Ministry of Information in Uyo on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while interacting with the media on the work done by the Ministry of Justice.
Mrs Edemekong said the state has a law regulating the activities of herders, which is domiciled in the Ministry of Agriculture. A monitoring committee for herders’ activities is also supposed to be in place.
However, she stressed that the first responsibility lies with citizens.
“It is the duty of the citizens to make reports to the ministry or to the police that herders have trespassed, that their farms have been destroyed. And when that is done, the police are supposed to investigate and send the file to the Ministry of Justice. And until we reach that stage, the Ministry of Justice cannot step in.”
She added that where the police fail to act after a report has been made, affected persons should write to both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Justice, which will then know how to proceed.
In summary, the process is: report the incident to the police or the Ministry of Agriculture; the police investigate and forward the file to the Ministry of Justice; and, if the police fail to act, petition both ministries in writing.
Her clarification comes amid recurring complaints from farmers across the state about crop destruction by cattle and the challenge of getting timely official response.
The Solicitor General’s remarks underline the importance of proper documentation and formal complaints in activating the existing legal framework designed to regulate herding and protect agricultural investments in Akwa Ibom State.
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