Attahiru Bafarawa, former Governor of Sokoto State, has emerged as a vocal critic of the escalating banditry plaguing Nigeria's northern regions. In a poignant address to journalists on Monday, April 29, 2024, Bafarawa painted a grim picture of the impact of bandit activities on agricultural livelihoods, revealing how he was forced to abandon his vast 10,000-hectare farmland in Kaduna State due to relentless attacks.
The ex-governor lamented the far-reaching consequences of bandit incursions, attributing the soaring prices of foodstuffs across the nation to the pervasive insecurity gripping farming communities. According to Bafarawa, farmers now find themselves at the mercy of bandits, seeking their approval before venturing into their fields.
"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," Bafarawa disclosed, his voice tinged with palpable anguish.
"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," he added, underscoring the catastrophic toll of insecurity on agricultural productivity.
Bafarawa's impassioned plea extended beyond mere lamentation, as he recounted his previous warnings to the Federal Government regarding the looming specter of food insecurity. Despite his proactive counsel, Bafarawa lamented the lack of decisive action from federal authorities, leaving the nation perilously exposed to the ravages of hunger and scarcity.
"There was a time I warned the federal government about the impending food insecurity in the country but my advice was ignored," Bafarawa ruefully recounted, highlighting the systemic failure to heed warnings and prioritize proactive measures.
In light of the escalating crisis, Bafarawa issued a clarion call for concerted efforts among all levels of government to combat insecurity in the north. Emphasizing the indispensable role of federal support, the former governor stressed that state governments alone cannot stem the tide of violence and displacement gripping the region.
