Residents of Kauru Local Government Area in Kaduna State say farming once their source of pride and survival has turned into a daily risk to their lives.
In a phone interview, a youth leader, Junaidu Ishaq, said that for nearly five years, frequent attacks by armed assailants have left communities traumatized and struggling to survive.
Farmers now go to their fields with fear rather than hope, not knowing whether they will return home alive.
Community members lament that Kauru, known for its vast green farmlands that contribute greatly to food production in Kaduna State, is being turned into what they describe as a “redfield”, a place where growing food comes with the threat of bloodshed.
Parents fear letting their children out of sight, while families already living through hardship are forced to choose between hunger and life-threatening danger.
They are calling on government and security agencies for urgent intervention to restore safety and rebuild confidence among rural farmers, who form the backbone of local food production.
The Residents warn that without swift action, the attacks may lead to greater food insecurity and further displacement of communities who have nowhere else to call home.
“When going to your farm becomes a death sentence, something is deeply wrong,” Junaidu Ishaq said.
They continue to hope that peace will return, so Kauru’s fertile soil can once again feed, rather than bury, its people.
Yusuf Zubairu Kauru
