‘128 farmers killed, 37 kidnapped in 6 months’

Save the Children International (SCI) yesterday said armed groups killed 128 farmers and abducted 37 others in parts of Nigeria within six months.

The organisation, in a statement, said armed groups’ activities were affecting food supplies.

“Increased attacks against farmers across parts of the country are leading to displacement, market disruptions and loss of livelihoods. Armed groups killed more than 128 farmers and kidnapped 37 others across Nigeria between January and June 2023, according to the Nigerian Security Tracker.

“In June, 19 farmers were killed by non-state armed groups in Nigeria’s northern Borno State alone,” the statement read in part.

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Country Director, Save the Children, Nigeria, Famari Barro said:

“These violent attacks against farmers in Nigeria are exacerbating the already dire hunger crisis in the country, especially in the north where millions of children do not know where their next meal will come from.

“Armed groups committing these ruthless acts are not only disrupting food production but also pushing children to the brink.

“Urgent action must prioritise the needs of children to stop this devastating trend and protect innocent lives. If not, armed groups will continue to carry out brutal attacks, drive food prices, and push more families to starvation.”