Farmers in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have reportedly agreed to pay the huge amount that bandits levied on them to have access to their farmlands.
Chairman Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union, Ishaq Usman Kasai, said bandits imposed multi-million naira levies on the farmers.
He said in a statement that the farmers resorted to negotiating with the bandits because they were helpless.
Kasai said farming activities had been crippled in Birnin-Gwari as about 70 percent of farmlands have been inaccessible by farmers in the last three years.
He said, “In many Communities, farmers paid millions of Naira before they were allowed to access their farmlands.
“Some of the agreements reached at the negotiations on the side of the farmers include allowing the farmers to access their farmlands without kidnapping or any form of intimidation by the bandits while the bandits should be allowed to be coming to towns and villages where the peace deals were entered for healthcare, buying and selling as well as any other normal business.”
He further stated that the negotiations allowed the farmers that were sacked by the bandits in communities such as Katakaki, Ganda, Mashigi, Ginsa, Biskin, Layin Mai-Gwari, Kwasa-Kwasa and many others access their farmlands.
BEPU added that many bandits have farms in those Communities, adding that the notorious warlord, Dogo Kachalla Gide, has farms in Mashigi area.
Kasai said the bandits had suspended kidnappings and attacks in some communities but they have continued to snatch motorcycles and other valuables from farmers.
He called on the state government to adopt any measure it finds suitable to prevent terrorists from spearheading anarchy in Birnin-Gwari and environs.