Former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, has raised concerns over the escalating activities of bandits in the northern region of Nigeria, revealing how the pervasive insecurity has forced him to abandon his vast farmland in Kaduna State.
Bafarawa disclosed that bandit attacks have rendered his expansive 10,000-hectare farmland in Birni Gwari, Kaduna State inaccessible, compelling him to cease operations on the land he has cultivated since 1979.
He lamented, “I used to have farmland, which is over 10,000 hectares in Birni Gwari of Kaduna State. I have been cultivating that land since 1979, but I cannot reach there now because of the bandits.
“The maize I produced that time is in commercial quantity that, I used part of it for my flour mill which is also out of production. The issue of insecurity is behind the high cost of food items because many farmers have been displaced.”
Expressing dismay over the current food crisis gripping the nation, Bafarawa attributed the situation to the activities of bandits, emphasizing the urgent need for collaborative efforts between the federal, state, and local governments to address insecurity, particularly in the northern regions.
Despite having previously warned the Federal Government about the looming food insecurity, Bafarawa regretted that his advice went unheeded.
“There was a time I warned the federal government about the impending food insecurity in the country, but my advice was ignored.
“The state governments cannot do it alone without the support of the Federal Government,” he emphasised.
