Bandits’ attack on farmers may worsen food crisis in Nigeria

Save the Children International (SCI) Nigeria says incessant attacks and kidnapping of farmers in Nigeria might lead to a worsening food crisis.

Famari Barro, Save the Children’s Country Director for Nigeria, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

“These violent attacks against farmers in Nigeria are exacerbating the already dire hunger crisis in the country, especially in the North.

“Millions of children in the North do not know where their next meal would come from.

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“A relentless wave of attacks against farmers in Nigeria by armed groups is hindering critical food supplies, and threatening to push the country deeper into a devastating hunger crisis this year.

“Increased attacks against farmers across parts of the country are leading to displacements, market disruptions and loss of livelihoods,” he said.

He added: “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.”

Barro said that armed groups committing the ruthless acts were disrupting food production and 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 up food prices, and push more families to starvation,” he said.

Barro said in January, the UN estimated that more than 25 million people in Nigeria could face food insecurity in 2023.

He said this was a 47 percent increase from the 17 million people who were already at risk of going hungry mainly due to the ongoing insecurity, protracted conflicts and the projected rise in food prices.

In addition, he said that an estimated two million children under five in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states were likely to be pushed into acute malnutrition in 2023, with about 700,000 children on the brink of death.

“It is also likely that even more people will be pushed into hunger than earlier predicted due to extreme weather events that are getting more frequent and severe due to the climate crisis,” he added.

Barro said that SCI has been working in Nigeria since 2001 and has been responding to the humanitarian crisis in the Northeast since 2014.

He noted that SCI provided food, clean water, nutrition, and protection services, sexual and reproductive health care, and education to families across Northeast Nigeria.

“Save the Children is also providing technical support to the government on policy changes, and reforms, especially in critical sectors such as health, education, and social protection among others,” he said. (NAN)