Reign Of Terror: 165 Farmers Killed In 2024, Farms Deserted As Bandits Demand N3bn
Reign Of Terror: 165 Farmers Killed In 2024, Farms Deserted As Bandits Demand N3bn
• 130 farmers killed in four Benue LGs, 28 in Sokoto, sorghum production falls by 90% in Borno
• Benue farmers lose N1.1bn to attacks, Sokoto growers pay N3bn ransoms, N5m paid in DeltaNo fewer than 165 farmers have lost their lives to attacks by bandits, who have hindered access to farms across the country, findings by The PUNCH have shown.
Farmers in Benue, Sokoto, Niger, Plateau, and other states, in separate interviews with our correspondents on Tuesday, lamented that they did not only lose crops to the rampaging bandits but many of their colleagues were also killed by the hoodlums. They added that they had abandoned their farms following the rising attacks by the bandits.
Out of the 165 farmers killed this year, the highest number was recorded in Benue State, where 130 of them were killed by the bandits.
The Association of Nigerian Farmers in the state told The PUNCH on Tuesday that 130 farmers were killed by bandits in four local government areas of the state this month (March). Also, in Sokoto State, 28 farmers have been killed since the beginning of the year, while six farmers lost their lives in Niger State during bandits attacks. One farmer was murdered by bandits in Plateau State.
In Sokoto State, the association lamented that not less than N3bn had been paid by its members as ransoms to bandits, who kidnapped them from their farms.
There has been an upsurge in banditry recently with over 295 victims being held hostage by kidnappers in Sokoto, Kaduna, and Borno states.
Lamenting the implications on farming The Benue State Chairman of the AFAN, Aondongu Saaku, told The PUNCH that six farmers were kidnapped in the state in the last two weeks.
According to him, farmers lost over N1.1bn to bandits’ attacks in the last few months in Benue State.
Saaku said, “The figure I will give you is for March alone so you can know the gravity of what farmers in the state are passing through.
“Six farmers were kidnapped in their farms. No fewer than 130 farmers were also killed in Kwande, Ukum, Agatu, and Apa LGAs.”
Asked to quantify what his members might have lost, the Benue State AFAN chairman replied, “It’s difficult to quantify because how do we quantify those farm crops that were harvested and burnt by the bandits?
“It’s huge. We will be talking about something around N1.1bn, because many farmers lost the whole farm, some over 100 bags of rice, several thousands of tuber of yams and the seeds, cassava chips, corn and a host of others.”
Saaku stated that going to the farm now was between life and death, “because in as much as one doesn’t have another source of income, you have to risk it and go to the farm. If you are caught and killed, that is your fate; and if you go and come back alive, it’s your luck.”
He, however, called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security, warning that Nigerians were at risk of heavy famine shortly if nothing is done to arrest the insecurity plaguing the country.
Farmers in Borno State noted that the production of sorghum and other crops had fallen by 90 per cent in the state.
Eight Delta farmers
On their part, farmers in Delta State stated on Tuesday that about eight of them were kidnapped last week and paid between N1m and N5m each as ransoms.
Farmers in Ika North-East and Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State said they could not access their farms following the incessant kidnapping in the state.
A farmer, Mr Okwudili Uti, in the Ute-Okpu community, said, “My brother we passing through hell now, as I speak we cannot go to farm again. The kidnappers have been kidnapping our people.
“In Ute-Okpu, Ute-Erumu, Abavo and communities around the Ika North-East, recently when the kidnapping started, we usually go to farms in groups. But last week, about eight farmers were kidnapped, and some paid ransoms of between N1m and N5m.
“Our farm produce have all gone bad in the farms because we cannot go to the farm even in groups, due to the fear of being kidnapped.”
Source:- Punchng
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