In this report, THE WHISTLER’s Yunusa Umar explores the story of farmers under the onslaught of Boko Haram terror group.

The unending Boko Haram violent attacks on farmers and residents of Bassa and neighboring villages in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, may eventually force them out of their farmlands and cause food shortages.

Local Farmers Beheaded

In the daylight of the 5th of June, terrorists took over Bassa community, targeting farmers who had refused to abandon their farms. The terrorists invaded the farmlands on Bassa, hounding the farmers and beheading them- a final lesson for being “incalcitrant.”

Aƙilu Umar Bassa, a farmer who spoke to THE WHISTLER narrated how Boko Haram terrorists broke into their community to attack and behead farmers who had sneaked into deserted Bassa village to inspect their plantations.

“Sometimes, when we go to our farm, we can’t farm until we hide before inspecting our plantation. When they leave, terrorists wait for us at Erena road”, he said, lamenting that their lives were in danger as farmers are being beheaded.

Aƙilu who cultivated over 20 bags of Maize, beans and other edible foods said he could no longer access his farm and being forced to beg. He claimed that they have pleaded with the government for help but government allegedly turned blind eye to their cries.

“Last year, I had 13 bags of beans, 20 bags of Guinea corn and other farm product above 20 bags. Now, we can’t access our farm and are being dragged to beg”, he said.

According to him, the farmers have not been buried as the terrorists still hang around the community, citing fear as the cause. Aƙilu added that the deceased farmers have not been buried.

“Sometimes, we engage in domestic work for us to earn N1000, N500 before we eat. Life has been difficult for us. It takes 7 days sometimes before we can find something to eat.”

However, THE WHISTLER learned that the displaced farmers have become refugees in Central Primary School in Erena with many of them sleeping outside the classrooms.

“We sleep in school and during school time, displaced locals would leave classroom for the students to learn before returning in the evening time”, he said

Another farmer, Zakari Adam revealed that many in the community fled their homes after countless invasions by Boko Haram insurgents. He said some farmers were beheaded again in his community last Wednesday.

“Our villagers have fled their homes and are taking refuge in Erena town. But 7 farmers who went home to inspect their plantation in Bassa were beheaded by Boko Haram” Adam told THE WHISTLER.

He lamented that, “while inspecting their farmland, Boko Haram members were waiting for them in an exit’s road leading to Erena. It was at such a point that they were beheaded”.

“Only one person was shot by a gun and others were beheaded. They did not spare our buildings, they burnt everything”.

Women Beg To Feed In IDP Camp

Three months ago, Inahu Yahuza, a mother of six fled her ancestral home for fear of being waylaid by Boko Haram attackers terrorizing Allawa, her hometown. Mrs Yahuza and her children fled their home to seek refuge in an IDP camp in Kuta, the Shiroro Local Government capital.

“We left our community three months ago due to Boko Haram insurgents attacking us constantly. We have been in big trouble since we left home”, the mother of six said.

She further lamented that the government came once to distribute food items to them, noting that each displaced locals were given four “mudu” of maize. But since then, they have not returned with additional palliative.

The mother of six said that her family, just like other families at the IDP camp, relies on begging to survive. This development has led to the displaced locals suffering from acute malnutrition and threat of epidemic due to unclean environment.

“Now, I just returned from the market, begging and was able to get half mudu of garri to eat with my family”, she said, adding. “We are begging them (the government) to help us with food and help us to return to our home.”

Another housewife, Jummai Audu Allawa whose husband largely depends on farming to survive, has also become a beggar who lives at the IDP camp in Kuta.

“We have nothing to eat and our children no longer have access to school since we came here. It has been two months since we left home”, the housewife said.

With pain, she explained that her family had resorted to begging to survive, saying her children also have to survive on whatever food is available for them.

“Generally, it is hard for us here; we eat sometimes and also go to bed with empty stomachs in this camp”, said Allawa.

The middle-aged woman further calls the response of the government’s official to return them to their ancestral home.

Villagers Fled Their Communities

Jibrin Allawa, one of the community leaders who is concerned about deserted communities in his local Government, told THE WHISTLER that residents of over 400 communities in Lakpa political ward have fled their homes.

He said there are eight wards in Lakpa and more than 400 communities. He explained that Erena and Galadima Kogo communities were the only ones spared by the terrorists.

“Erena & Galadima kogo are political wards in the same district. If we count numbers that deserted their area, we should be counting nearly 3 million people in that axis that fled the communities”, the concerned leader said.

He said after the residents fled their communities, “miscreants went ahead to pillage communities and looted their belongings including foodstuffs. Houses and other properties were burnt down.”

Speaking further, he said, “So even if residents are returning today, they would not be where they were because their houses had been razed by terrorists along with the fertilizer they stocked at home.

“What they did in Allawa (terrorists) was after people evacuated, the terrorists burnt down schools, clinics and other government facilities in the town.

” When some of the farmers decided to go back to their homes to pick food since they were hungry and there was no food, they decided to go home to pick some foodstuffs as they have food stocked in their store.

“Upon reaching home, the terrorists came out and blocked them, asking the men to step aside from women. And they were beheaded in the presence of the women.”

Jibrin corroborated others’ account that 7 farmers in Bassa were also beheaded, narrating that Boko Haram waited for them at the road leading to the village’s exit.

Military Men Withdrew From Tensed Community

Last month, men of the Nigerian Army positioned to fight terrorists in the axis were withdrawn from the terror-ravaged area of Shiroro, after losing two officers who were killed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The community leader said withdrawing military men from Allawa community exposed them to risks. Allawa is a border town between Niger and Kaduna State.

Jibrin emphasized that the government should order the return of security operatives to Allawa and other axis for farmers to return home.

“The attacks by bandits leading to the death of two captains in Allawa resulted in the withdrawal of soldiers. And to us, we expected reinforcement. We know the power of the Nigeria Army but withdrawing them has passed a message to the criminals that they are superior”, he said.

Coalition Chairman of Shiroro, Ibrahim Usman Kuta, told THE WHISTLER that hands are on deck to draw attention of the government through mass media channels.

“The government has withdrawn the army that was there to protect those people without any reason. Up to this moment, they have not returned the army back to the community. That is why the situation has been intensified.

“Now, none of the eight wards are able to farm and the season has started. Many of them have become refugees while the government seems to be mute about it,” he said.

Usman Kuta said 60% of his council depends on agriculture for their income but have turned to beggars.

“We need the media to draw attention and sympathy from the government and other international organizations”.

The Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Garba Mohammed, a retired major-general, did not pick several calls made to him. He also did not reply text messages sent to him as of press time.