Crops worth over N5 million had been destroyed by an early morning inferno at a farm belonging to Edo Comptroller of Prisons, Mr Amadin Osayande.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the farm located at Airougo Community in Orhionmwon Local Government of Edo was razed.
Osayande told NAN that the fire destroyed three acres of oil palm trees, two acres of Plantation farm, and three acres of Cassava Farms.
“I came to my farm only to see my palm trees, cassava farm and all my plantain burnt down.
“I learnt one of my neighbours set his farmland on fire and instead of staying back to monitor the burning, he left the scene and it spread to my farm
“It will take another three years before one can plant anything on the land, besides; I bought each nursing palm tree between N300 to N500.
“It is a great lost, the painful aspect is that the suspect was begging because he does not have money to pay for the damages,” Osayande said.
He, however, said there was no insurance backing the farm.
NAN reports that the state Director of Fire service, Mr Franklyn Agbolahor, had earlier at a news conference charged farmers and all residents to clear a footpath around their houses and farms as fire stoppage. (NAN)
IMEL/KOLE/AFA