Boko Haram terrorism: Nigerian farmers suffer under umbrella of extremism

Farmers in Nigeria’s Yobe State suffer from the activities of Boko Haram that appear from time to time. Neither shepherds nor farmers were spared the terrorist group's tyranny and attacks, which has threatened even food security in the densely populated African country.

This is clearly demonstrated by what was announced by the Nigerian Farmers Association in Yobe State on Saturday, January 1, which confirmed that its members had lost more than 100 hectares of agricultural land due to the terrorist activities of Boko Haram.

Also, because of shepherds’ fear of moving their flocks away from the agricultural lands, they are grazing their animals on their farms since Boko Haram may threaten their livestock and their lives if they move away to the grazing lands.

Local governments in different states of Nigeria face the challenges of insecurity during the harvest season, which shepherds faced after the terrorist organization destroyed some farms with livestock, as well as the difficulty of grazing the rest of their livestock.

“The terrorists destroyed more than a hundred hectares of farmland,” said one farmer, who said that despite this, farmers in the state produced a good harvest with little rain during the rainy season.

Farmers have performed well in some parts of Nigeria, but the rains have stopped, threatening production that will not be the same as before, according to some farmers.

The suffering of farmers and shepherds in Nigeria reflects the extent of the danger posed by Boko Haram on all aspects of social and economic life, as their terrorist acts affect economically everywhere where the extremist organization has settled.

All of these dangerous matters put the Nigerian government in front of a great challenge with the aim of ending the terrorist organization, from which neither people nor stones were spared in this highly populated African country.

Fleeing from terrorists and sheltering in makeshift camps for internally displaced people has become a reality for many in Nigeria. During this difficult time, agriculture becomes a source of solace and income for some. Layatu Ayuba, a farmer who fled Boko Haram, is now living in a camp for internally displaced people, in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. She is one of more than 2,500 people in the Abuja camp who have received training and equipment to set up small-scale drip irrigation systems for food production since 2018.

Many end up living in camps for internally displaced people, which are often overcrowded and food-deficient, made up of makeshift tents and sheet metal and plastic shelters that offer little protection from the scorching sun and heat of the tropical climate.

Slaughter

In December 2020, Nigeria witnessed new terrorist crimes by Boko Haram, which is affiliated with ISIS, against farmers in the east of the country. This was condemned by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

The slaughter by Boko Haram elements is not the first of its kind, but rather an extension of the terrorist group’s policy of “cuff them and slaughter them” adopted by the organization that is famous for slaughtering workers.

In October 2020, Boko Haram massacred 22 farmers in two separate attacks who were working in agricultural fields in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern Borno State.

Boko Haram and ISIS militants in West Africa have stepped up attacks on loggers, ranchers and fishermen, accusing them of spying and passing information on to the army and local armed factions fighting them, Sky News reported.