When farmers are afraid to go to their farms, hunger becomes inevitable.
Across many rural communities in Delta and Edo States, this grim reality is no longer a mere prediction, it is already unfolding, reports Daily Independent.
The suspected presence of herdsmen in vast stretches of farmlands has led to a growing wave of fear, forcing many farmers to abandon their source of livelihood.
As the threat to personal safety intensifies, the ripple effect on food production and economic stability is becoming more evident by the day.
Our analysis delves into how insecurity in the farmlands, largely attributed to suspected herdsmen, is crippling food production in Delta and Edo States.
It also captures the voices of those affected and the broader implications for food security in Nigeria.
“I used to farm cassava, yam, and maize. But since last year, I’ve not stepped foot into my farmland,” says Mrs. Rose Inegbedion, a 53-year-old widow, a resident farmer in Uromi in Edo State.
Her voice trembles with a mix of anger and helplessness as she recounts a terrifying experience in mid-2023.
“That day, I went with my son to weed. We saw strange men moving around with cows and weapons. I took it as a joke until they confronted us. One of them told me that women are better off selling pepper in the market than roaming inside the bush. I ran for my life. Since then, that farmland has become scary.”
Mrs. Inegbedion’s experience mirrors that of hundreds of farmers across the two states.
In communities like Abraka, Obiaruku, Agbor, Oghara, and parts of Ethiope East in Delta State, and in Esan North-East, Owan West, and Akoko-Edo areas in Edo, farmlands that once boomed with agricultural activity now lie fallow.
Food scarcity is not just a rural problem. The drop in food production has triggered a chain reaction felt in urban markets across the South-South and South-East regions.
“Prices have doubled, and sometimes tripled. A small basket of tomatoes that sold for ₦1,500 last year now goes for over ₦4,000,” says Mrs. Grace Nwafor, a market woman in Ogbeogonogo Market, Asaba.
“Buyers complain every day, but what can we do? Farmers no dey go farm again becos of fear.”
Market surveys conducted in Warri, Asaba, and Benin City confirmed a steady rise in the prices of staple food items like garri, plantain, maize, and vegetables.
Traders attribute this inflation to two main factors: reduced supply due to insecurity and high transportation costs exacerbated by fuel price hikes.
For many farmers, the risk is no longer worth the reward. Mr. Sylvester Ogude, a once-thriving maize farmer in Obiaruku, has turned to commercial motorcycle riding to fend for his family.
“Last year, my neighbour was macheted by people we suspect to be Fulani herdsmen. He died before he could reach the hospital. Since then, I parked my hoe and cutlass. My wife now sells zobo in front of our house.”
Ogude’s story is common among young and middle-aged farmers who have either migrated to urban areas or shifted to petty trading and informal services for survival.
This transition, while understandable for personal safety, leaves a dangerous vacuum in the food production chain.
On the heels of the recent killings in Uromi, the Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Oligbi-Edeko, who also represents Esan North-East Constituency II, minced no words about the security challenges in Uromi.
She was noted to have raised alarm over the increasing rate of kidnappings in Uromi and Uzea communities, urging the state government to enhance surveillance and security measures in the area.
In a similar vein, Mallam Aliyu Haruna (Leader of the Hausa Community in Uromi) has also expressed his community’s sentiments, even as he appreciated the swift response of the governor, Hon. Monday Okpebholo in showing concerns. He thanked the governor for the prompt deployment of security personnel, which helped restore calm in the community.
Haruna’s appreciation cannot be discounted as it is documented on media space that the governor called for unity among various ethnic groups in the state.
This is as the governor emphasised the longstanding peaceful coexistence between the Hausa community and the indigenous people of Uromi, and therefore urged all residents to maintain harmony and avoid actions that could disrupt the peace.
These leaders’ statements reflect a collective commitment to justice, peace, and the prevention of future occurrences. Their actions and words aim to reassure all communities in Esan Land of their safety and the government’s dedication to upholding the rule of law.
However, not a few residents in the state have accused security agencies of responding too slowly to distress calls. One of the respondents engaged by our correspondent, Matthew Igbinosa said, “Each time we call the police, they either say they don’t have fuel or that it’s not within their jurisdiction. Are we supposed to defend ourselves with bare hands?” he asked.
The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, however, insists that measures are being taken.
“We have intensified patrols around vulnerable farming communities. We are working with vigilante groups and community leaders,” he said in a recent radio interview monitored by our correspondent.
Despite these assurances, residents argue that patrols are sporadic and usually reactionary, after incidents have occurred.
It is important to note that not all violent incidents are perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen, but the repeated sightings of armed individuals moving with cattle has created a lasting psychological trauma in farming communities.
In many cases, the lines between Fulani herdsmen and bandits are blurred, making accurate profiling difficult. Regardless of nomenclature, the common denominator is fear and displacement.
“There’s a difference between peaceful herders and violent invaders,” says Dr. Wilson Igbinovia, a criminologist. “Unfortunately, the failure of the state to regulate open grazing in these states has allowed criminal elements to hide under the guise of herding.”
Dr. Igbinovia emphasises that the real threat is the impunity with which these armed groups operate.
“If people are not arrested and prosecuted, the message is that this lawlessness is acceptable.”
Agriculture is a major employer of labour in both Delta and Edo states. With farming disrupted, ripple effects are being felt in agro-processing, food transport, and retail markets. Youth cooperatives, women farming groups, and local agricultural unions have all reported lower participation and dwindling profits.
A 2024 report by the Edo State Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the state lost over N13 billion in unharvested crops last year due to farmer displacement. In Delta State, similar losses are pegged at N10.5 billion, mostly from unharvested cassava, plantain, and maize.
These figures are not just statistics, they represent empty stomachs, lost income, and rising unemployment.
Though both states have launched various agricultural revitalisation programmes, including soft loans and cooperative incentives, none have meaningfully addressed the issue of insecurity on the farms.
Ostensibly reacting to the public opinion that flying of Drones across farmlands and forests in both Edo and Delta States would go a long way in nipping security challenges in both states in the bud, Mr. Monday Atamah, a farm cooperative leader in Ewohimi, says “What we need is a mobile task force that responds quickly to threats. And we need them now.”
However, security experts say the solution lies in multi-state collaboration.
“The criminal elements are mobile. They operate in Delta today, cross into Edo tomorrow, and hide in Kogi the next week,” says a Private Security Operator and security analyst, Mr. Andrew Uwagboi.
“States in the South-South and North-Central need a joint security framework, like Amotekun in the South-West.”
Uwagboi also advocates for the implementation of the long-proposed National Livestock Transformation Plan to encourage ranching as a sustainable alternative to open grazing.
Without a doubt, the current insecurity in the farmlands of Delta and Edo States is more than a localised issue, it is a direct threat to Nigeria’s food security. When farmers are forced to abandon their farms, the consequences are predictable: inflation, hunger, economic stagnation, and increased rural poverty.
Without urgent and sustained government intervention, Nigeria risks a worsening food crisis, especially as population growth and inflation continue to outpace production.
The fields are quiet, not because the soil is dry, but because the farmers are scared.
Until safety returns, the baskets in the market will remain half-full, and the pots in the kitchens of the average Nigerian will simmer with less.
