From Jude Dangwam, Jos
Farmers in troubled communities of Bokkos, Mangu, Bassa, Riyom and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of Plateau State will have some sense of relief from the dreaded activities of bandits as well as crop mowers who are bent on destroying farmlands and creating food scarcity in the country.
Over 200 farmlands have been destroyed since the commencement of the farming season this year in the above mentioned council areas. In particular, farmers in Josho community of Daffo, Bokkos LGA, could not still believe that over 10 hectares of their maize farms were mowed down sometime this year, an effort they put in to relieve them from the high cost of foodstuff in the market.
Other communities like Vodni of Pushit, among others in Mangu LGA, had farmlands grazed upon by herders, irrigation farms were mowed, maize at various stages cut down and some uprooted at tender stage as well as planted potatoes unearthed from the farms and left to rot.
The villages of Gassa, Nding and Heipang, Saga in Fan District of Barkin-Ladi, as well as Jol, Rim, Bachit, Wereng, Tangjol, Vwak, Tarai, Dirin, Rim, Wereng-Rim, Gwa-Rim, Mere, Bangai, Lwa, Rachi, Sum, Fang and Kwi of Riyom LGA suffered the same fate.
The shortage of farm output from these villages affects the food poll from Plateau State to the national food basket.
In Bassa LGA of the state, no fewer than 101 farmlands also suffered from the heartless activities of night grazing nomadic herders this farming season despite the accord entered into among natives and herders for mutual cooperation in the area, supervised by the special security force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH).
Mr. Solomon Mwantiri of the Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria (ECCVN) noted that the destruction of farmlands in the state has contributed immensely to the high cost of food, leading to protests in the state and other part of the country.
He said: “Food is security in itself. It also serves as economic security; it provides employment opportunities and social stabilization to various families and communities.
“Without food, you won’t be thinking of education, and that is why, if you go to most of these affected villages, you will see a large number of school dropouts over the years.”
Mwantiri, who is lawyer, said the distribution of security motorcycles and deployment of technology will go a long way in addressing the menace of farm destruction, even though records has shown that most farms are being mowed down or grazed on at night.
He reiterated that government and security agencies must put into consideration the time the criminal elements operate, while advocating for an executive order to ban night grazing in the state to enable farmers make good harvest of their labour.
The inauguration and distribution of motorcycles and other equipment by the state government is soul-lifting. It is coming a few days after some farmers were attacked on their farmlands by bandits in Lwa community of Bachi District, Riyom LGA, while trying to harvest their already ripe farm crops.
For affected farmers of Josho community in Daffo District of Bokkos, the recent distribution of motorcycles by the state government is a step in right direction, as the deployment is targeted at the difficult hinterland where crop mowers and bandits often have a field day unleashing agony and pains on local communities and farmlands.
Asoro Mangai, one of those whose farmlands were mowed in May 2024 in a night operation by the vandals, said concerted efforts must be deployed to safeguard the remaining the farms, if government want to address the issue of hunger.
He recalled thus: “The incident happened on May 21, 2024, at Josho community of Daffo in Bokkos LGA. That Friday night, we heard sporadic gunshots around Josho community, which is about 15 minutes’ drive from Daffo town.
“So, the following day, myself, other brothers and members of the community went only to see that our maize were cut down. We are talking of 10 hectares of maize farm here; it is not as if they grazed on the farms. No, they used cutlasses to cut down the maize.
“The losses are in hundreds of millions of naira. You know that farming is costly now. The maize had crops already. If not for the unfortunate act, the maize would have been ready for harvest at the end of this July.”
With massive cultivation of farmlands this year by residents of the state due to various agricultural intervention by the state government, Governor Caleb Mutfwang insisted that the motorcycles must be deployed to difficult terrain to give farmers cover as well as protect their farms against any form of destruction.
Mutfwang hinted that his administration has invested heavily in technology to addressed the security situation in the state and more logistics will be made available to the security agencies, which he commended for doing a wonderful job in the state.
He said: “We have invested huge resources in technology, at the moment. We have sufficient capacity to monitor every nook and cranny of Plateau State. What we are doing is to be able to prepare the ground responses considering our terrain, which is full of plateau.
“There are places that vehicles cannot go in and even ordinary motorcycles cannot go. This first batch of motorcycles will be used for round-the-clock surveillance to ensure the security forces give cover to our farmers. We are starting with the areas under threat, which include part of the central and northern zones.”
The governor cautioned that government would not hesitate to seize the motorcycles whenever they are seen in the city centre, towns or used for personal reasons.
“These motorcycles are meant for the bush, they’re not meant to be riding in towns. We want the motorcycles to be properly deployed to the areas of need. They are not for personal use but for collective use. This is just the beginning.” Mutfwang strongly cautioned.
The Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, Arc. Samuel Jatau, earlier disclosed that the 100 military grade motorcycles will be be shared among various security agencies to be used for patrol around the state.
He presented a sharing formula even as he assured the operatives that more were on the way. Jatau said: “Thirty of the motorcycles are going to the military with 130 raincoats and 130 rain boots. The Nigerian Police Force will have five motorcycles, 130 raincoats and130 rain boots. The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) will have 30 motorcycles, 60 raincoats and 60 rain boots. The DSS will have five motorcycles, 20 raincoats and 20 rain boots. Operation Rainbow will have five motorcycles, 50 raincoats and 50 rain boots.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service will have three motorcycles, 20 raincoats and 20 rain boots. NDLEA will have 10 raincoats and 10 rain boots. The Federal Road Safety Corps will have 20 raincoats and 20 rain boots. Nigerian Correctional Service will have 10 raincoats and 10 rain boots. The VGN Mangu will have nine motorcycles, 20 raincoats and 20 rain boots. VGN Bokkos will have nine motorcycles, 20 raincoats and 20 rain boots. VGN Bassa will have two motorcycles, 10 rain coats and 10 rain boots.”
The commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Plateau State Command, Mr. Alexander Bissa Barunde, assured the state government that the motorcycles would be used for purpose, while assuring the respective communities that farmers can now sleep with both eyes closed.
“With this provision of motorcycles, we are going to improve more by ensuring we provide security in safeguarding the lives and properties of citizens of the state.
“With the provision of these motorcycles, at least farmers can go to their farms and come back home successfully. With the intervention of your good leadership for cultivating lands for the good people of Plateau State where so many crops were planted and you tackle the farm insecurity. With is intervention, by the grace of God, everybody will go to sleep with their eyes close,” he said.