Tag: Farming

Bandits stop harvest in Zamfara, force Sokoto farmers to pay ‘harvest taxes’

Aminu Imam
Bandits stop harvest

Farmers in parts of Zamfara and Sokoto States have raised alarm over increasing levies and intimidation by armed bandits, who they say are imposing conditions on communities for this year’s harvest season. Residents told newsmen that despite favourable rainfall in recent years, widespread attacks have turned farmlands into conflict zones, putting farmers in constant fear and threatening food supplies across northern Nigeria. Villagers reported that bandits have introduced what they describe as “harvest taxes,” demanding payments in cash or agricultural produce before allowing farmers to access or harvest their fields.…

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Katsina: Bandits demand ₦5m peace levy from farmers ahead of harvest

Aminu Imam
Katsina bandits demand

Farmers in Ilali village, Katsina State, have reportedly been asked to pay ₦5 million to bandits as a condition to access their farmlands safely during the harvest season. The demand, which residents describe as a ‘peace levy’, is said to be aimed at preventing attacks while farmers carry out their activities. Security analyst, BaKatsine revealed the development in a post on X on Tuesday, stating: “Bandits have reportedly imposed a ₦5 million levy on residents of Ilali village in Katsina State”. Sources say the demand is framed as a fee…

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Kaduna: Bandits set farms on fire in Birnin-Gwari, destroy harvested maize

Aminu Imam
Kaduna bandits set farms on fire

Suspected bandits have set fire to harvested maize on six farms in Kwaga village and Unguwar Zako, in Birnin-Gwari local government area of Kaduna State. The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday night, when the bandits stormed the farms and set fire to all the harvested maize. A video clip showed the charred remains of the affected farms, with the owners consoling one another. The affected farm owners include Kabiru Halilu Kwaga, who had harvested over 160 bags of maize last year and was hoping for an even larger harvest this…

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Food Insecurity: ‘Biting hunger resulting from low-crop yield leading to mortality in North’ – Stakeholders

Aminu Imam

Across Nigeria, in spite of the advent of rainy season which led to heavy rainfall, the annual seasonal farming in northern Nigeria, stakeholders have raised alarm that biting hunger resulting from low crop yield is leading to mortality in the North, resulting in food insecurity in the region. Lamenting the situation to newsmen, a father of five, Malam Garba, (not his real name), from an Adamawa community, said he lost his first daughter, A’isha, as a result of hunger resulting from low crop yield. At the burial ground, when Aisha…

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Banditry: Katsina relocates displaced farmers, families to irrigation facilities

Aminu Imam

The Katsina State Government has revived its irrigation schemes to enable displaced farmers in parts of the area to continue their work without molestation. Several farmers and entire communities, especially from the frontline areas with links to the Rugu Forest, have continued to abandon their ancestral homes due to the murderous activities of bandits and terrorists operating in the state. According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Aminu Garba Waziri, “We have 32 irrigation schemes across the State and we have revived them to the extent that one irrigation…

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Bandits cripple farming activities in Bauchi communities

Aminu Imam

Farming activities in Duguri, Gwana and Pali districts, situated in Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi State have been crippled by gunmen, locally referred to as bandits. It was gathered that the gunmen, who invaded the communities about two weeks ago have forced farmers to stay away from their farms for fear of their safety. Though the Yankari forest in Alkaleri LGA has traditionally been a hideout of criminal elements, the brazenness of the invasion of these farming communities suggests the bandit crisis that has engulfed the neighbouring North-West region,…

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Terrorists kill 7 farmers, Imam in Zamfara

Aminu Imam

Drop warning letter Terrorists killed no fewer than seven local farmers, including the Chief Imam of Jumuat Mosque in Faru, identified as Sani Akwala, on Saturday, at Dajin Danau, Faru village of Maradun LGA of Zamfara State. The attack came at about 12:45 p.m. when about 30 armed terrorists stormed farms located at Faru, which is less than a kilometre away from Faru township. The gang met the farmers while they were clearing bush areas at their various farmlands. Upon sighting them, some of the farmers ran for their lives.…

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Katsina: Maize scarcity looms, as terrorists kill 60 farmers in 2021

Aminu Imam

”We’ll not participate in January dry season maize farming in State” ? MAAN Barring any positive change, maize scarcity looms in 2022 as the Maize Association of Nigeria, (MAAN), lost about 60 members to terrorists’ attack while some of the farmers fled to the urban areas to seek refuge. The MAAN Chairman, Katsina State, Garba Lawal, who stated this while speaking with newsmen yesterday, said that he got reports that the maize harvested by their members awaiting threshing was set ablaze by the bandits alongside their farms. He, however, said…

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