Farmers in Niger have appealed to the State and Federal Governments to protect them from bandits who have imposed levies on them before harvesting their crops.
The farmers said in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that government intervention was necessary as insecurity has virtually crippled rural economy.
Mr Aliyu Suleiman, Coordinator of Zone C Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), told NAN in Kontagora that bandits in the area had imposed levies on farmers before harvest.
He said where a farmer failed to pay the bandits his farm is instantly destroyed by the criminals.
“The bandits recently burnt over 20 maize, guinea corn and soya bean farms in Kontagora, imposed levies and dropped their contact numbers,” Suleiman added.
According to him, the bandits are asking for N30 million from each farmer, failure which they risk losing their farm produce and members of their families.
“The bandits had burnt the crops the farmers assembled on their farms for processing.
“The people of the area are helpless as everybody is afraid of going to the farm now,” the coordinator said.
A maize farmer, Malam Idris Shanu, urged government to come to their aid, so that their efforts in this year’s farming season would not go in vain.
“If this kind of attack continue on our members, we may not have enough food next year,” he said.
Similarly, Hajiya Zuwaira Ajiya, a member of the Nigeria Association of Women in Agriculture, said farmers are facing incessant attacks in the state.
She also called on the government “to move security agencies to the forests” to deal with the menace.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said he was not aware of the claims.
“I am yet to receive such report,” he said. (NAN)
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