From Maiharaji Altine
Despite several measures taken by both the Zamfara state and the federal government to end banditry activities in the state, the issue is worsening by the day as bandits continue to kidnap and kill innocent people.
Checks by Analyzer news have shown that, the bandits are becoming more stronger by the day and have currently invaded almost all the 14 local government areas of the state.
The bandits who now move freely in large numbers on motorcycles have issued a strong warning to the farmers particularly those in the rural areas that there will be no farming activities this year unless the state government reconcile with them.
At the time of filing in this report, more than 70 percent of farmlands are currently abandoned by farmers in the state due to fear of bandits attacks.
Many farmers who spoke to Analyzer news have expressed worries that, they would not be able to farm this year, considering the insecurity challenges affecting the state.
One of the farmers, Musa Garba who is a resident of Dansadau town of Maru local government area said he used to get over 100 bags of rice, and 50 bags of millet every year, lamenting that he did not plant any crop this farming season due to fear of the bandits who are always going round the farmlands to kidnap or kill farmers.
He said, “I used to get enough food to feed my family and even sell some bags to buy other commodities. But in the last two years, I stopped going to farm”.
Another farmer, Abubakar Dauda also from Dansadau town in Maru Local Government area narrated that the lingering banditry activity in the area was worrisome and dangerous which really put fear to farmers who have lost hope in this year’s farming season.
He said, “Last year, we only cultivated our our nearby small farms as we could not go far for the fear of the miscreants”.
“There were instances when the bandits told us that farming could only be done with their approval,”.
He explained that the rainy season has already started but yet people could not sacrifice their life to go for the usual farming activities. because the bandits would instantly kill any farmer they saw in the farmlands.
Another farmer, Sani Musa said he was able to plant some crops this year thinking that, the present administration under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal would do something urgent on security lamenting however that, the bandits have completely destroyed the crops.
Musa said, “The armed bandits usually drive their cattle into our farms and eat everything in the the farm”.
“This situation has really put us in serious trouble and we have now turned out to be beggers in the streets”.
He called on both the state and the Federal Government to deploy adequate troops to some areas so as to enable farmers return to their farms.
Another farmer Garba Ibrahim from Shinkafi local government area said he was no longer thinking of how to go home and go back to his usual farming in this farming season.
He stated that the consistent attacks by bandits that killed most of their people and burned down mostly parts of their village made those who escaped the attacks to reside in Gusau the state capital to look for survival.
He said “I am not even talking about how to go back to farm but rather I am thinking of where to get something to eat”.
“Nobody is talking about farming here again because despite government’s efforts we still can’t access our farms”.
“We are going to see a new chapter in poverty if all stakeholders do not come to our rescue and put and put things in order to make us go back to our villages”.
A resident of Yanwaren daji in Tsafe local government area Sirajo Umar said, “Tension is high among most farming communities”.
“Many of us will not go to farm this year except something serious is being done to protect our lives”.
Umar stressed that the bandits were even more angry with the farmers, as bandits strongly believe that, the farmers were the ones giving information to security agents about them.
He maitained that he was supposed to have planted rice, millets, soya beans and sorghum this farming season, stressing however that he could not go to farm because he was not sure of his safety.
Also speaking, another farmer, Malam Umar said his farmlands have been seized by bandits two years ago and no effort was made by the security agents to retrieve the farms.
He however expressed optimism that with the recent deployment of soldiers of Operation Hadarin Daji to Mada and Wonaka areas, the bandits would soon be forced to move into the forest areas. This according to him could provide opportunities for some farmers who own lands not far from the town to access them.
“Those who have farms near the forest have given up. They no longer go to their farms because of abductions and killings by bandits.
Umar said, “Some farmers who did not heed to the warnings of the bandits and returned to their farms were chased away by bandits and warned not to return to their farms”.
A retired civil servants who gave his name as Salihu Shehu said he has ventured into farming since the time he retired two years ago lamenting however that, the bandits have refused to allow them go to farm.
Shehu said, “We cannot farm because bandits have continued to attack us due to non presence of security personnel”.
“We want the security personnel to be stationed in our community so that we can return home and prepare for the farming season”.
An indigene of Faru town in Maradun local government area of the state Mohammed Abubakar informed Analyzer news that, the bandits have killed five farmers in their farmlands, kidnapped 21 others and threatened to destroy the crops already planted in the area.
Abubakar said the bandits have even sent a warning letter to the farmers in the area that, if they kidnap anybody in the farm, they would not negotiate for ransom but rather they would kill him instantly.
He said, “We have received a warning letter from the bandits that, henceforth, they will kill any farmer who dares to go to his farmland as they are not interested in collecting ransom”.
“We reported the issue to both the state government and the security agents but nothing has been done”.
Abubakar maintained that, many people have fled to other neighbouring states as well as Niger Republic as bandits would not allow farming to take place in the state this year.
Another farmer from kizira village in Tsafe local government, Salihu Garba said, the farmers were beginning to flee to other states because the bandits have been harassing them, threatening to kill anybody who goes to farm.
“You know that, our people here depend largely on farming activities for survival and if the bandits said we should not go to farm, I think we will have no option but to leave the state”.
Speaking to journalists in his office, the Secretary to Zamfara state government, Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada said, Governor Dauda Lawal has assured that, his administration would do everything humanly possible to make sure that farmers go to their farms in this farming season.
Nakwada stressed that, the Governor has made adequate arrangements with the security agents so that the bandits would be dealt with in order to ensure adequate security in the state.
He however maintained that, Zamfara state government would not negotiate with the bandits no matter the pressure.
“He said, “The administration of Governor Dauda Lawal has no plan to reconcile with the bandits”.
“The state government will squarely face them and deal with them so that the security would be restored by the grace of God”.