Farmers near Maiduguri in Borno State are cheering – they might soon be able to go back to their lands to farm in safety.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum visited the Mulai and Dalwa communities on Sunday – and also held meetings with security operatives – to discuss new ways to ensure the safety of farmers on their lands “so as to avoid a livelihood crisis”.
Zulum did not give a timeline as to when the farmers would be able to safely return to their lands. However, his visit was regarded as the government’s first steps to restart farming activities in the state, after it had been abandoned by many for years because of the ever-increasing insurgency attacks in the northeast, mostly by members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram.
Many people had died in the attacks and millions had been displaced.
Zulum’s decision was in compliance with Thursday’s directive to the Nigerian military and other security agencies by President Muhammadu Buhari to work with the Borno State government and come up with modalities that would allow people have access to their farmlands.
Ahead of the resumption of farming activities, the governor visited Dalwa in the Konduga Local Government Area and Ngwom in the Mafa Local Government Area, where he assessed farmlands and spoke to security operatives.
“We are really happy that farming will be reopened in our area because we believe our security will be ensured by the military or security forces,” said farmer Goni Ashemi. “We will have no more fear on our farmlands.”
He pleaded with the government to provide more security forces, as it had been tasked by the president.
He said his farm was not far from Maiduguri where there had been numerous attacks by insurgents.
Aishatu Faruq Bukar said she was excited that farmers would be ensured safety. She had just returned from her farm where she had planted okra and other vegetables.
“I’m so happy because I will be able to farm as usual,” she said.
“I pray to have a bumper harvest. Everyone will be able to farm this year and that should bring down the prices of food, which have been escalating at a rapid rate. Poor people cannot even afford the essentials,” said another farmer, Amina Kyari.
Buhari visited Maiduguri last Thursday to assess the security situation, inaugurate completed projects and commission new ones.
“I have directed the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai and other security agencies to work out modalities together with the Borno State government and associations of farmers on ways to increase safe access by farmers to their farms, forests and fishing grounds,” Buhari said.
For a long time Zulum had been saying that keeping resettled communities out of agricultural activities could lead to a serious food crisis in the state, arguing that food aid from foreign and local donors was unsustainable.
Isa Gusau, the special adviser to the governor on communications and strategy, said Zulum would open his personal farm to lead by example and to encourage others.
“We have to develop resilience. We cannot sit down without a means of livelihood. I will also establish a personal farmland along this axis which I will visit on work-free days,” Gusau quoted Zulum as saying.
The governor addressed farmers along the Maiduguri-Damboa highway, urging them to resume farming activities this week.
Zulum also inspected a 500 housing-unit project in Molai village, near Mammanti, about 5km south of Maiduguri, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with the quality of work.
