A herd of hippos went on a rampage on Tuesday night, invading and destroying farmlands in Hinna Community, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Affected farmers told reporters on Thursday that the animals destroyed crops, most of which were due for harvest, describing the incident as a serious threat to food security and their livelihoods.
The head of farmers in the community, Mr. Zakari Ladan, called the repeated attacks “frustrating,” noting that many farmers are losing their investments daily.
“More than 17 farmlands, covering about 14 hectares and including maize, rice, tomatoes, peppers, water and sweet melon, carrots, and okra, were destroyed,” Ladan said. He estimated the total loss at nearly N7 million.
Ladan added: “We are tired of these hippos coming out of the river to invade our farms, some located two kilometers away. This has become a recurring problem, and for years we have suffered without government support. Urgent assistance is needed because farming is the only means of livelihood for many families here.”
Maize farmer Mohammed Zengina said he lost over one-and-a-half hectares of maize and vegetables, valued at nearly N800,000. “My crops were due for harvesting in two weeks. I cannot continue farming without support, as I am still recovering from past attacks,” he appealed.
Bello Mohammed, a cluster head of rice farmers, said his group pays N150,000 monthly to hunters to guard their 20-hectare rice farms. “Despite this arrangement, the hippos still invaded our farms,” he lamented.
Other farmers shared similar accounts of destruction caused by the hippos.
When contacted, Dr. Barnabas Malle, Gombe State Commissioner of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Cooperatives, confirmed that the government was aware of the incident. An official from the ministry had assessed the damage and would submit a comprehensive report to Governor Inuwa Yahaya for consideration.
Dr. Malle urged farmers to be patient, saying the government was reviewing the situation and would provide assistance. “We will analyze the report and determine whether compensation is warranted or if the matter should be referred to the State Emergency Management Agency,” he said.
