Farmers under the aegis of Cocoa and Plantain Farmers Association of Nigeria have pleaded with the Nigerian president Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to find immediate measure to curb the constant attacks by bandit on farmers and their goods.
The National President of Cocoa and Plantain Farmers Association, Mr. Ayodele Ojo, while speaking in Akure, Ondo State capital on Monday submit that farmers are constantly being attacked across the country and the perpetrators of such act usually cart away their farm produce.
Ojo noted that the constant attacks have led most farmers to abandon their farmland for the fear of being kidnapped by bandits and kidnappers who have taken over the land meant for farming while security operatives seem handicapped.
The statement in part reads: “We don’t know what is happening. The security in the land is getting out of hand; we want Mr. President to look into it as a matter of urgency. Farmers cannot access their farms to harvest their farm produce despite the fact that the produces are due for harvest.
“Some of the hoodlums are now in control of the farms of some of our members, and we are in a very difficult situation now because we are not allowed to visit our farms again. Many of us have not been to the farms for weeks now because of fear of being kidnapped.
“These people kidnap farmers for ransom and if a farmer fails to pay, he can be killed, we need President Tinubu to come to our aid, we need security agencies to come to our aid, our means of livelihood is threatened and our lives are in danger,” he added.
The National President stated that the situation if not curtailed, could lead to food shortage this year and beyond.
He also used the medium to kick against the call by President Tinubu that State Governors should provide land grazing for herders, stating that the formation of grazing zones for herders could lead to a clash between the farmers and herders. He opined that the mandate might be a repeat of the failed strategy used in the past.
