Farmers in parts of Zamfara and Niger States have raised alarm over a fresh threat issued by notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, who is reportedly demanding a ₦50 million “protection fee” in exchange for allowing farming activities to resume in their communities.
Residents from the Shinkafi axis in Zamfara and parts of Magama in Niger State say they have been warned by Turji’s men to either contribute to the sum or stay away from their farmlands this rainy season.
“They came on motorcycles and said we should raise the money or forget about farming this year,” said Malam Isyaku, a community elder in Shinkafi, who spoke under anonymity for fear of reprisal. “People are afraid. We rely on farming, but now it’s a trap.”
A Threat to Livelihood and Food Security
Farming is the main source of livelihood for most rural communities in the affected areas. But continued threats by armed groups like Turji’s gang have crippled agricultural activities, leading to rising hunger and poverty.
Community leaders say this latest demand by Turji is an escalation in a long-running pattern of bandit-led extortion, kidnapping, and control over rural territories.
In Niger State, several farmers in the Kwaki and Allawa areas of Magama Local Government also reported similar warnings delivered by armed men. One farmer claimed they were told to contribute to a “peace fund” to avoid being killed or abducted.
“We are living like hostages in our own land,”* the farmer said.
Weak Security Presence, Growing Lawlessness
The Nigerian military has conducted multiple operations in the northwest, including airstrikes against Turji’s camps in 2022 and 2023. However, locals say the absence of a permanent security presence has allowed bandits to regroup and strengthen their influence.
A security analyst, who asked not to be named, said the development shows how non-state actors are gradually replacing state authority in remote regions.
“When criminal groups can charge taxes or fees for basic life activities like farming, it’s a sign that governance has failed in those areas,” the analyst said.
A Looming Humanitarian Crisis
Agriculture experts warn that the bandits’ threats could further worsen Nigeria’s food crisis. Already, the Northeast and Northwest face acute food insecurity, with over 25 million Nigerians projected to face hunger in 2025, according to the UN.
Disruptions in Zamfara and Niger, both major food-producing states, could deal another blow to national food supply.
“If farmers can’t plant now, it means no harvest in October,”* said Prof. Sarah Danladi, an agricultural economist at Ahmadu Bello University. *“What we are seeing is a direct threat to food security.”
Government Response Still Unclear
As of press time, security agencies and the state governments have not publicly responded to the claims by the farmers. Civil society groups are calling on the federal government to take urgent steps to secure rural areas and dismantle criminal networks.
For now, many farming communities are left with a deadly choice: pay the bandits, flee their homes, or risk death in the fields.
