In a sobering revelation, former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, has shed light on the harrowing impact of banditry in northern Nigeria, recounting how the scourge forced him to abandon his expansive 10,000-hectare farmland in Kaduna State.
Addressing journalists against the backdrop of soaring food prices in the country, Bafarawa lamented the alarming influence wielded by bandits, who now dictate the fate of farmers and their lands.
“I used to have farmland, which is over 10,000 hectares in Birni Gwari of Kaduna State. I have been cultivating that land since 1979, but I cannot reach there now because of the bandits,” he revealed, highlighting the dire consequences of insecurity on agricultural productivity.
The former governor painted a grim picture of farmers seeking permission from bandits before venturing into their own fields, underscoring the unprecedented control wielded by criminal elements in his community.
“The maize I produced that time is in commercial quantity that I used part of it for my flour mill, which is also out of production. The issue of insecurity is behind the high cost of food items because many farmers have been displaced,” he lamented, pinpointing insecurity as a primary driver of the current food crisis ravaging the nation.
Indeed, the activities of bandits in the Northeast and Northwest have been identified as major contributors to the prevailing food insecurity. March statistics released by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics revealed a staggering food inflation rate of 31.70%, prompting concerns from experts who warn of an impending emergency.
Bafarawa did not mince words as he recounted warning the Federal Government about the looming food insecurity, only to see his advice fall on deaf ears. “There was a time I warned the federal government about the impending food insecurity in the country, but my advice was ignored,” he lamented, underscoring the urgency of addressing the root causes of insecurity to safeguard the nation’s food security.
In a clarion call for action, Bafarawa stressed the need for genuine collaboration between the federal government, state, and local authorities to combat insecurity, particularly in the beleaguered northern regions. “The state governments cannot do it alone without the support of the Federal Government,” he asserted, urging concerted efforts to restore peace and stability to Nigeria’s troubled agricultural heartlands.