Displaced persons believe the government should reconsider its decision to cut aid – and beef up security so farmers can work their land without the fear of being attacked by insurgents.

Displaced persons in Borno State in Nigeria’s northeast say they are alarmed by the government’s decision to cut the provision of palliatives by 90%.

“The only way we will survive is if the government greatly improves security across the state,” said Idrissa Modu Masa Kale, a resident of Damasak in the Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.

State governor Babagana Umara Zulum made the announcement at a pre-Ramadan event on Wednesday, February 26, when he distributed food, including rice and grains, to 250,000 flood victims across the 27 local government areas of the state.

Maiduguri, the state capital, and its environs were engulfed by a devastating flood in September last year.

“In preparation for the blessed month of Ramadan, today’s event marks the official launch of the Ramadan food distribution programme. We aim to support 250,000 bottom poor. Among the beneficiaries, 100,000 are from Maiduguri and its environs.

“I am deeply moved by the pain and hardship this disaster has caused, particularly for the most vulnerable among us, those who have lost their homes, livelihoods and even loved ones.

“We are all aware that our beloved state has yet to fully recover from the devastating flood disaster that recently affected Maiduguri, Jere, and other communities. Many families are still counting their losses.”

Zulum said the decision to cut the provision of palliatives was influenced by the bumper harvest recorded from different communities across the state.

He said the Borno State government would continue to invest in agricultural inputs, infrastructure and support programmes to reinvigorate agribusiness, enhance the sector and drive sustainable growth.

The strategy would encourage internally displaced persons (IDPs) to become self-suficient and self-reliant, Zulum said.

“Agriculture is not just a means of survival; it is a powerful tool for economic empowerment. As a result, the state government is committed to creating an enabling environment for our youth and entrepreneurs to engage in agribusiness and other productive ventures.

“As a result, moving forward, the provision of palliatives will be reduced by 90% to encourage self-sufficiency and long-term development,” Zulum said.

Palliative distribution vital for IDPs

Masa Kale said he was concerned. He called on the government to re-evaluate the decision.

“The government needs to reconsider the decision to cut the palliative distribution by 90%. Most IDPs rely on the provision of palliatives to get food for their families, particularly displaced persons from Malam Fatori [in the Abadam Local Government Area] and other areas across the state,” he said.

“We really appreciate the state government’s efforts to provide food and non-food items for years, but we are dismayed that now it will be reduced by 90%,” said Ya Ngumma Ibrahim, a displaced woman from the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.

Insecurity and insurgents hamper agricultural activities

Ya Ngumma said those who engaged in both seasonal and irrigation farming experienced a bumper harvest, “but the biggest problem is insecurity”.

She said insurgents – from the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram, and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) – made it difficult and challenging for farmers to harvest their vegetables and other crops.

It was imperative for the government to address insecurity before it does anything else, she told Ndarason.

“I urge the government to put in place stringent security measures to safeguard farmers, so that we can continue to rely on farming activities as the means of livelihood instead of relying on palliative distribution,” Ya Ngumma said.

“It is difficult for us to go to farm because of insurgents. A farmer cannot go within 2km of the forest because of attacks by insurgents,” said Masa Kale.

“Just recently, my brother was mercilessly killed on his farmlands. We are not in the habit of begging or relying on the government or non-governmental organisations [NGOs] to get food. We do so only because we are victims of the insurgency.

“It is imperative for the government to provide adequate security to ensure protection of farmers and their farmlands across the state,” he said.

Warning from civil society: A call for agribusiness improvement

“Reducing the palliative distribution without diversifying the agricultural activities will have a serious consequence for IDPs and farmers,” said Ahmed Shehu, the chair of the Civil Society Organisations Network in northeastern Nigeria.

However, he praised the government for revitalising the agricultural sector using funds meant for palliatives, saying that this would result in “overall food security and self-sufficiency in the state”.

“This is a good move because it is impossible for the government to continue to provide palliatives to displaced people forever,” he said.

He urged the government to “support farmers with all the necessary tools, such as seedlings, chemicals, fertiliser and tractors, to ensure more food production, self-sufficiency and food security”.

Palliative distribution going forward

Zulum said the state government would prioritise long-term development solutions over short-term relief measures, such as palliative distributions.

He said the government had made significant investments in farming, such as in supporting more than a million farmers with essential agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, water pumps, insecticides and pesticides.

Moving forward, he said, palliative distributions would be limited to only two of the state’s 27 local government areas.

“The only local government areas that will receive food palliatives are Ngala and Kala-Balge because of their peculiar circumstances.

“These areas have suffered severe farmland destruction by elephants and they faced significant flooding. Therefore, in 2025, the Borno State government will provide food palliatives exclusively to Ngala and Kala-Balge,” he said.

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO