Katsina farmers abandon farmland for the rest of the year following incessant attacks by bandits

KATSINA State is facing a significantly reduced harvest this year after farmers in three local government areas said they will no longer farm for the rest of the season following an attack by armed bandits this week that lead to the death of 18 of their colleagues.

On Tuesday this week, the bandits struck in Katsina State, killing 18 farmers in Yargamji village alone, during which they also rustled some cows that belonged to the victims. Yesterday, Alhaji Aminu Ruma, the leader of the Yargami people, led a delegation to visit Governor Aminu Masari in Katsina, to complain of the incessant killing of their people by bandits.

Alhaji Ruma said that some farmers were still missing, following the attack, adding that the security agents later recovered the corpses of the dead and brought them to the palace of the district head of Batsari. He, therefore, urged the government to take measures that would end the insecurity challenges bedevilling the area.

No fewer than 34 persons have been reportedly killed by suspected armed bandits in Batsari, Danmusa and Faskari local governments areas of Katsina State this week. Local people said that 18 were killed in Yargamji in Batsari Local Government Area, five in Mara Zamfarawa in Danmusa Local Government Area and 11 in Sabon Layi village in Faskari Local Government Area.

Governor Masari said: “I feel it better than you feel because I know Allah will ask me on the day of judgement. It is our duty to protect lives and property in the state, yet, this is what is happening, we are doing our best.

“You bear me witness that wherever such incident occurred, I visit the community and tell them our commitment toward addressing the menace. We are going to table the problem of insecurity challenges bedevilling all the northern states before Mr President tomorrow.

According to the governor, protesting will not solve the problems, so he urged the people to remain calm, as the government was doing its best to end the menace. He added that the people of Batsari, Safana and Danmusa local government areas will not plant crops this year for fear of bandit attacks.

Katsina has a combination of a Savannah and Sahelian climate suitable to crops like sorghum, millet, gum arabic, groundnuts, cotton cowpeas, sugarcane and tomatoes. Last year, the state government launched an ambitious agricultural programme aimed at attracting about 10,000 youths into farming.