Kaduna: Famine looms as farmers flee farms for terrorists

There are ominous signs that food insecurity is likely to deteriorate in Nigeria this year, as security challenges escalate further in some parts of the country, Kaduna State especially.

It is evident that some communities in insurgence-ravaged areas in the north are prone to acute food insecurity, latest onslaught on Kaduna State by terrorists is hastening famine in that part of the country.

If the postulations of analysts and stakeholders in the sector are anything to go by, the severity of the faminine may surpass prediction, as violence between farmers/herders on one hand and terrorists on the other hand, have claimed lives, disrupt rural communities and threatening the country’s food security.

Currently, based on reports, majority of farmers in some parts of the state have abandoned their farms, as they could not longer access them, while others have escaped to other states.

Investigations showed that the terrorists have invaded key agrarian communities of the state, attacking farmers from all corners, thereby forcing them to run for dear lives.

The Guardian authoritatively learnt that farmers in Birnin-Gwari Local Council have completely abandoned their farmlands due to the resurgence of terrorism and other criminal acts in the rural communities. The same sad news is also reported in major councils in the state.

Sources within the state disclosed that the Birnin-Gwari Kaduna highway has become a nightmare, as the bandits abduct, kill and maim farmers and innocent travellers, almost on daily basis.

A farmer, Nathaniel Enebi, told The Guardian that farm produce have drastically reduced because people are afraid to go to their farms, as many farmers have been abducted from their farms, leading to payment of heavy ransoms.

While noting that the interest of farmers in agribusiness has drastically reduced, Enebi, who is the General Manager of Deen Farms Nigeria Ltd, Kaduna, raised the alarm that the onslaught on farmers might lead to food insufficiency for the state and the country at large.

“Before now, we have over 100 farms, but currently only three or four of the farms are functioning because of the activities of the bandits. They have invaded our farms like three times, during one of their operations, they kidnapped our accountant, and we were forced to pay a ransom of N1.5m and since then we have been operating skeletally.

“We have a 60,000-capacity farm, but since then, we have never operated above 40,000 capacity because of this menace. We have incurred losses running into billions of naira due to the closure of our farm. It is very difficult to quantify, but the losses are running into billions.

“I can confirm to you that many farms have closed down, while others have reduced their capacity. This development is going to lead to food insufficiency for the state and the country.

“Like you know that Kaduna State is known for cultivation of many crops, but because of the development, farm produce have drastically reduced. Farmers are afraid to go to their farms because many have been abducted from their farms, leading to payment of heavy ransoms.

So, the interest of our people in farming has drastically reduced, because of this, the cost of food has increased tremendously in the state.”

Enebi, who accused security agents of bias in their approach to nipping the menace in the bud, said they always turn their backs as if they don’t know anything when such incidents occur.

“Can you imagine the Kaduna Airport -an international airport has been reduced to the status of a local airport because of bandits activities? It is only when VIPs want to fly that we see a lot activities there, people now prefer to fly from Lagos to Abuja directly and come by train, than coming to Kaduna through the Airport. It is that bad currently,” Enebi said.

Last November, the bandits attacked farmers at Rafin Sarki village in Giwa local council, killing 12 and injuring three others. Trouble started when bandits demanded levies from farmers who were harvesting their farm produce.

According to sources, farmers resisted the demand, which provoked the armed bandits and by the time the dust settled, 12 farmers were left dead and three others injured.

It was learnt that the attack occurred when the farmers were clearing their farm produce. The bandits came to collect money from them so they can ‘allow’ them to finish their farming activities, but the farmers refused to give them the money they demanded.

Before this period, the bandits imposed a levy of N12 million on four farming communities in Birnin Gwari local council, before they could be allowed to harvest their farm produce.

Besides the levy imposition, the bandits intensified attacks on the communities, as six people were abducted in their farms just after few days, but were released after the bandits were provided with foodstuffs and recharge cards worth N10, 000 as ransom. Since then, the menace has continued unabated, forcing many to flee the area.

Another farmer, Mallam Ibrahim Umar, a resident of Rafin Sarki in Giwa council area, lamented that their produce have been destroyed in the farm since they no longer have access to harvest them.

While noting that some of his colleagues have left farming for other occupations, he noted that prices of food would rise in the state as majority of his colleagues in other local councils have abandoned farming completely.

He pleaded with the state government and security agencies to wade into the situation before the bandits will completely overrun the state.