Stakeholder seeks protection for farmers against attacks by herdsmen

By Bimbola Oyesola

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been charged to provide security for farmers so that they could be safe on their farms.

Chief executive officer of SITOG Nigeria, Mrs. Grace Ajayi, who attributed the increase in the prices of foodstuffs, especially cassava flour, popularly known as garri, to the incessant attacks on farmers by Fulani herdsmen around the country, said the Federal Government needs to act decisively or else things could continue deteriorating.

Ajayi stated this while reacting to the increase in the price of garri that is now sold at N1,000 per four-litre ‘paint’ plastic bucket.

According to Ajayi, garri used to be a staple food for the masses, but now a paint plastic of ‘garri’ is sold for N1,000 and this is even more in some places; it is now food for the rich because cassava is expensive due to the constant attacks on farmers by Fulani herdsmen.

“Recently, I visited a community in Ogun State and asked one of the women that sells ‘garri’ in large quantity what the experience has been like. The woman lamented hike in the price of cassava, which affects the price of ‘garri.’ Ajayi said, “People are now running away for dear life and they are afraid of being kidnapped or attacked by Fulani herdsmen.”

The SITOG CEO, therefore, called on President Buhari to provide protection for farmers as well as other Nigerians to prevent kidnapping and killings by bandits.

“There is need for the government to come to our rescue, especially farmers. It is an embarrassment for Nigerians to be suffering from hunger, because the nation is blessed with fertile land.

“We have hectares of land for farming but there is no security for farmers. The government needs to rescue the masses before it gets out of hand. People are seriously angry because foodstuffs are expensive. Farmers are ready to return to their farms, if there is adequate security for them.

“Government needs to secure the lives of the people in order to have plenty food for Nigerians to eat. It is disheartening to behold how people are being slaughtered like animals by bandits,” Ajayi said.