Over 200 farmers with fifty hectares of farmland in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State have accused the state government of allegedly destroying their maize crops for the execution of its Agricultural Revolution Policy for food sufficiency.
The incident occurred at the Kamfanin Bobi farm settlement in Mariga Local Government Area, where farmers accused the government of forcefully confiscating their farmlands without proper notice or due process.
Abubakar Yari Kamfanin Bobi, one of the affected farmers, lamented the complete destruction of his 52-year-old, two-hectare maize farm.
While Malam Ibrahim Yerima said his eight hectares of farmland had also been taken over, with his crops cleared, however appealed to Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to come to their aid and alleviate their hardship.
Also speaking an eye witness Musa Saleh explained that many hectares of farmlands with grown maize have been destroyed by Niger state government Food tractors without the payment of compensation to the affected farmers.
Malam Sunusi S Pawa noted that his farm of twenty-three years, spanning thirteen hectares where he had applied over twenty-one cartons of chemicals, has also been destroyed, adding that another thirty hectares of farmland belonging to his friend was also cleared.
While farmers expressed concerns about setbacks in implementing the Niger State Government’s Agricultural Revolution Policy, Governor Mohammed Umar Bago reiterated his administration’s steadfast commitment to revolutionizing agriculture in the state on multiple occasions.
State Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Bawa Bosso, who confirmed the incident, assured that affected farmers would be compensated to ensure the program’s success and mitigate their hardships.
COV/ALIYU LAWAL
