F armers across Nigeria's northern regions have lauded President Bola Tinubu's administration following the deployment of military troops to protect farms from bandits and other criminal elements. This initiative is seen as a crucial step toward boosting harvests and tackling the country's growing food insecurity crisis.
The Defence Headquarters confirmed that troops have been deployed across various farms in the North West and North Central regions. The military's presence aims to provide security for farmers, allowing them to cultivate their land without fear of attacks, particularly during the current planting season.
In a statement, Maj Gen Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, highlighted that the deployment began with the onset of the rainy season, ensuring that farmers have safe access to their farms, thereby paving the way for a successful harvest. However, the exact number of troops assigned to the farms remains undisclosed.
The initiative comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with its highest-ever food inflation rate, recorded at 40.87% in June by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics. The country's farmers have been frequent targets of bandits and terrorists, with over 332 farmers killed in the first quarter of 2024 alone. This is a significant increase from the 128 farmers who lost their lives during the same period last year.
Kabir Ibrahim, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, confirmed the increased security presence around farms in the northern regions. He commended the efforts of the government at all levels but urged for continued action to eradicate insecurity completely.
"There is definitely some remarkable security improvement around our farms across the food baskets in the North Central and North West. We therefore appreciate the effort and unreservedly commend the administrations at all levels for that," Ibrahim said.
Despite these positive developments, there have been reports from states like Benue and Katsina, where officials claim that no military personnel have been deployed to protect farmers. In Benue, the state's Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Matthew Abo, stated that no military personnel had been deployed in the past two weeks, despite prior discussions with service chiefs.
Similarly, a representative from the Kano State government noted that the state has not experienced significant banditry issues and, therefore, has not seen a need for military deployment. However, isolated areas like Sumaila and Garko local government areas in Kano have been affected by security challenges.
The Organising Secretary of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria in Benue State, Sam Yua, expressed concern over the worsening insecurity in the region. He noted that armed herders have forced several farmers to abandon their lands and flee to urban areas, which is having a detrimental impact on the state's agricultural output.
As the Tinubu administration continues to address the nation's food security challenges, the effectiveness of these military deployments will be closely watched. While some regions are seeing the benefits of increased security, others remain vulnerable, highlighting the need for comprehensive and sustained efforts to ensure the safety and productivity of Nigeria's farmers.
0 Comments