Toba Owojaiye reporting
Sokoto , Sokoto State
Former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, expressed dismay over rampant bandit activities in the North, detailing how they forced him to desert his expansive 10,000-hectare farm in Kaduna State.
While addressing the press as duly monitored by Truth Live News, the former governor spoke against the backdrop of soaring food prices and the alarming trend where people now seek bandits’ permission before venturing to their farms. He disclosed that bandits dictate which farms are cultivated in his community, lamenting, “I used to have over 10,000 hectares of farmland in Birni Gwari, Kaduna State, cultivated since 1979, but now I cannot access it due to bandits.”
The former governor emphasized the substantial maize production from his farm, a portion of which he utilized in his flour mill, which is now non-operational due to insecurity. He attributed the high cost of food items to the displacement of many farmers by insecurity.
Bandit activities in the Northeast and Northwest regions have been identified as a major contributor to the current food crisis, with food inflation standing at 31.70% as per March figures released by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics.
Despite warnings to the federal government about impending food insecurity, Bafarawa lamented that his advice was disregarded. He called for genuine collaboration between federal, state, and local governments to address insecurity, particularly in the North, stressing that state governments cannot handle it alone.
Former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, also called on leaders in Northern Nigeria to confront the region’s underdevelopment and bring it in line with other parts of the country.
Speaking to journalists in Sokoto, Bafarawa emphasized the need for joint efforts between the federal and state governments to combat insecurity, despite the establishment of security outfits in some Northwest states.
He criticized the current political landscape, accusing politicians of prioritizing personal wealth accumulation over public service. Bafarawa reiterated that insecurity, particularly in the North, severely limits farming activities and exacerbates food insecurity.