Farmers in Zamfara and Sokoto States have urged the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to protect agricultural activities from ongoing bandit attacks that threaten crop harvests. Residents reported that bandits have been imposing illegal levies on rural communities, disrupting farming and forcing some to abandon their farmlands due to fear of kidnapping and violence.
Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim, the Sarkin Noman Mayanchi of Maru LGA, highlighted the dilemma of bumper harvests overshadowed by insecurity, with farmers often required to pay or forfeit portions of their yields to bandits for safe access. Similarly, in Sokoto State, setbacks such as flooding and plummeting farm produce prices have compounded the challenges faced by farmers.
Farmers called for urgent government intervention, including increased security presence, subsidized inputs like fertilizers, and improved storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses. The crop price crash, driven by high supply and import policies, has further dampened farmers’ incomes.
With almost 34 communities reporting extortion demands by bandit groups and numerous abductions, the agricultural sector’s stability remains fragile. The insecurity threatens not only livelihoods but also food security across the northern region.
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