Farmers in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi States have called on the Federal Government to deploy additional security personnel to protect their farms from bandit attacks, which they say are threatening the harvest season.
Speaking with reporters in Gusau, a cross-section of farmers said bandits have been imposing levies on rural communities, disrupting farming activities and preventing many from harvesting their crops.
Kabir Ibrahim, Sarkin Noman Mayanchi of Maru Local Government Area, urged the government to address the insecurity by deploying more security operatives to rural areas.
“We have recorded bumper harvests across different parts of the state, but the harvest period remains a challenge due to bandit activities,” Ibrahim said. “Some farmers who cultivated maize and rice are now afraid to go to their farmlands for fear of attacks. Bandits demand money from communities or prevent access to farms, forcing some large-scale farmers to abandon their crops.”
He added that some communities have resorted to forfeiting portions of their yields to bandits to secure access to their farms.
Adamu Bazamfare, a farmers’ leader in Shinkafi Local Government, linked falling food prices to both government policies and bumper harvests. He called for more security support to allow farmers to harvest freely and prepare for dry-season farming.
“Farmers are happy with this year’s yields, but insecurity has prevented them from harvesting what they planted. Bandits demand payments or portions of crops, or they block access altogether,” Bazamfare said. He also warned that government food import policies could discourage local farming and urged investment in subsidized fertilizers and other inputs.
In Sokoto, Abubakar Danmaliki, Programme Manager of the State Agricultural Development Project (SADP), reported bumper harvests across the state’s 23 local government areas, despite flooding in eight areas during the rainy season. He assured affected farmers of government support.
Lawalli Yusuf, a farmer from Wamakko LGA, appealed for reduced fertilizer costs and other input subsidies, citing low farm produce prices as a challenge. Currently, a bag of paddy rice sells between N23,000 and N30,000, maize N32,000, millet N32,000, a measure of onions N1,300, and pepper N900 in Sokoto markets.
In Kebbi, farmers identified low commodity prices, insecurity, and inadequate storage facilities as major challenges. Abdullahi Musa, a rice farmer from Argungu LGA, said the bumper harvest was encouraging but noted that rice prices had dropped from N45,000 last year to between N25,000 and N28,000.
Maryam Dogo of Zuru LGA highlighted insecurity as a major concern, especially in remote areas of Danko/Wasagu, Sakaba, and Ribah LGAs. Farmers often travel in groups with security escorts to protect themselves during harvests.
Garba Noma, a millet farmer in Yauri, said the lack of modern silos and warehouses leads to post-harvest losses of up to 30% of crops. Traders in Birnin Kebbi confirmed that the bumper harvest has driven down prices for rice, maize, and sorghum, with market leader Umaru Adamu attributing the decline to oversupply.
Farmers across the northern states are now appealing for urgent government intervention to safeguard their livelihoods, improve storage facilities, and stabilize commodity prices.
