The Emir of Kontagora in Niger State, Alhaji Sa’idu Namaska, has warned that there may be severe food shortage soon if the present trend of insecurity continues in the state.
Consequently the traditional ruler appealed to bandits to cease their activities to allow farmers go to their farms as the 2021 farming season progresses.
The emir said this during the third Niger Wet Season Agricultural Inputs and Equipment Fair in Minna.
The emir who was represented by the Niger State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Shehu Galadima, noted that, “It is already evident that food is scarce as the 2020 farming season was affected by COVID-19 and insecurity,’’ adding that if the insecurity continues and farmers are not allowed to farm, the situation on food supply in the country will get worse.
He appealed: “Bandits, please allow us to farm. We need food, you also need food. If we farm, there will be food. Even if you don’t want food, we need food. Please allow us to farm.”
The emir also pleaded with the government to recruit agro rangers who will safeguard the farmers when they go to the farm.
He said, “If we have agro rangers, the farmers will be able to go to the farm without the fear of being attacked by bandits. We need more security for us to go to the farm.”
In his remarks, the Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture, Zakari Haliru Jikantoro, assured farmers that the state government was doing its best to ensure the safety of every citizen in the state.
He noted that the tempo of banditry in the state had reduced because of the security strategies the government deployed in recent times.
He said, “The government is doing its best to address banditry in the state. You will notice that the tempo on banditry has gone down, the government has put in measures to ensure that the farmers will not be affected by this banditry or insecurity.”
Our correspondent further reports that the fair was to create access to improved agricultural seeds and inputs, strengthen farmer access to loans, among others.
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