Farmers Flee Northwest Village Following Quit Notice By Terrorists
Farmers from the Magami Local Government Area of Gusau, Zamfara State, have abandoned their villages, farms and families searching for where to farm, following persistent terror attacks and quit notice.
Farmers from the Magami area of Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria, have been seen leaving their communities to safer areas they can farm as terror groups issued them quit notice and warned of continued attacks.
A video posted on Twitter and seen by HumAngle shows a vehicle hauling motorcycles and other farming equipment with the person who recorded it explaining the scenario that led the farmers to flee the area.
“I am shooting this video with deep sadness because of the circumstances we are in Magami, Gusau Local Government Area,” he stated.
“These are some of our brethren who are preparing to relocate since the terrorists have ordered them to stop farming.” He went on to say, “They’re migrating somewhere to farm.”
Despite owning farmland, one of the farmers, Sada, explained that the terrorists would not allow them to work.
Farmers in the Northwest fear terror attacks and kidnappings while working on their farms, driving many to relocate to safer areas where peace is guaranteed.
“We are migrating to safer zones where we can farm without fear of being attacked,” Sada said. “We are abandoning our spouses and children; only God can judge between us [and the terrorists],” he added, his voice breaking with grief.
The farmers said that the terrorists ruined their farmland and killed several of their people. Sada went on to say that the terrorists had rustled their animals and confiscated their belongings.
Due to the instability in Zamfara, several individuals have abandoned their settlements, leaving the majority of the outlying villages in the hands of terrorists.
The terrorists have imposed a fee on farmers in other villages to allow them to farm, while inhabitants who couldn’t afford to pay had to flee to avoid attacks and kidnappings.
The looming food insecurity in Nigeria has been linked to the displacement of farmers in Northwest villages, which are viewed as a centre of farming activity.
According to a HumAngle report from 2021, farmers in around one-third of local government areas in Katsina State, Northwest Nigeria, were unable to go to their farmland owing to terrorist operations.
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