Bandits don impose N11m levy on Niger farmers before dem go fit harvest dia crops

Bandits don put heavy N11 million levy for di farmers for Niger State, Niger, before dem for fit harvest dia crops October 18, 2024.

Dis wahala na part of bigger pattern of wetin dem call extortion and intimidation wey armed groups dey do for di area.

According to report from Intelligence, wey be Africa-focused geopolitical research firm, farmers for Niger don to bandits for di past four years.

Dis amount na serious reminder of di bad situation wey farmers dey face wey don dey struggle to survive.

Di dilemma of Farmers in Niger, shine light on di risky situation wey farmers dey face wey dem dey forced to pay dis levies to access dem farms and harvest dem crops.

Di consequences of no paying dis levies fit dey severe, including di destruction of crops, kidnapping, and even death.

Dis mata show say e dey urgent for di authorities to pay attention to di insecurity and protect di livelihoods of farmers for di area.

All dis things dey make am hard for pipo wey dey depend on agriculture for dem livelihood and dey worsen food availability and affordability for di country.

“Dis militants dem don dey make plenty money through various levies wey dem dey impose on di farmers communities wey dey run into millions.”

“And dis mata don make food insecurity worse and make pipo poorer, di report talk.”

“E talk say di rise for banditry and armed attacks don scatter livelihoods and di essential service distribution even for di Northwest region like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and some parts of Jigawa.

For farmers for dis areas, to work for dem farms dey pose double risk sef: “either dem go try harvest dem crops wit hope to earn a living, or dem go pay heavy ransom to save dem self from kidnappers,” e talk.

For some years, Niger State internal security crisis don dey increase, and dem dey slow down economic growth, especially for di agriculture sector.

E still dey notable say di kidnapping and murder of pipo by Boko Haram insurgency for di North and di ongoing conflict between herders and farmers for north-central Niger dey happen.

Di latest Global Peace Index rank Niger among di top 20 least peaceful countries for di world.

Di decade-long crisis dey bring wahala for di communities, wit locals dey see more terror attacks than ever.

Dis don make di cost of living for di region rise as food prices for di Northwest don experience panic surge.

Dem talk say farmers dey say dem don completely abandon some parts of dem farms bicos of dis bandits.

Farming dey lose im appeal to farmers bicos of heavy taxation by bandits wey dey charge levies based on harvest volume wey dey increase di financial burden on farmers.

Data from di National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show say di headline inflation rate don rise for di 13th consecutive time for January dis year to 29.90 percent from 28.92 percent for di previous month.

Di strategic communications consulting firm don follow reveal say farmers fit dey forced to offer part of dem farm produce as payment in kind.

Di report talk: Di presence of bandits, especially along di Galadimawa axis, don make am difficult for farmers to safely enta nearby bushes during di dry season, wey dey hinder dem ability to harvest dem crops.

Di only option wey plenty of dem get na to use wetin dem save to pay di bandits so dem fit allow dem harvest dem produce.

Unlike to impose fixed rate, bandits dey charge levies based on harvest volume, wey dey increase di

While di government dey eager to stabilize volatile areas, support victims and resettle di displaced, e must follow prioritize to nip di looming food crisis for di bud, e add.

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