Farmers in crisis-prone areas are finding it difficult to access their farmlands due to the spate of insecurity. Daily Trust Saturday reports their plight in some of the affected states with many of them saying there would be a food crisis if nothing is done to tackle the situation.
In the last few weeks, security operatives have succeeded in reducing the excesses of criminals like the Boko Haram fighters in the North-East, and bandits and kidnappers in parts of the North-West and North-Central.
However, the fear among farmers is that the rainy season is already here, and many red spots are still not safe for farming activities.
Katsina
In Katsina State, many villages have been deserted due to incessant attacks by bandits. A resident of Scheme in Faskari Local Government Area said, “Though I cannot give you the exact figure, about 100 villages have been deserted, of which some are being occupied by bandits and others burnt.
“In Ruwan Godiya ward alone, we have Shawu, Unguwar Goga, Yantuwaru, Gidan Dogo, Unguwar Nadaji, Hayin Najafa, Unguwar Baidu, Kanawa, Hitaru and Unguwar Haji villages. Some of them are currently occupied by the bandits, and even those that are not taken over by bandits, the villagers cannot go to their farms as they will be chased away,” he said.
He added that in ‘Yar Malamai ward also, farmers don’t attempt going to farms in villages like Mununu, Zari, Kuka Shida, Dogon Fako, Kibai, Bakarya, Liggel, Zarin Dudu, and Zarin Kwari, for fear that they would be killed.
“Recently, the bandits were at Unguwar Duna, where they left with the remaining goats in the town,” he said.
Read More: https://dailytrust.com/hunger-looms-as-insecurity-scares-farmers-away
