Borno farmers, IDPs demand improved security to boost farming, fishing
Borno indigenes leaving the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) Camps have called for greater security as they return to farm for this year’s cropping season.
A cross-section of the farmers and fishermen made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Muna Camp in Maiduguri.
NAN reports that the State Government recently commenced the evacuation of the internally displaced persons to their recovered ancestral homes.
The people said they were looking forward to a secured environment to engage in massive agriculture this season to ensure adequate food for their families and state at large.
Mustapha Bukar from Marte said: “Life is really hard now with the current inflation.
“We hope as we go back home there’s adequate security for us to resume farming, fishing and livestock rearing activities.
“That’s the only hope as we have the vast and fertile land to pick up our lives again after staying in camps for several years due to the insurgency.”
Ibrahim Buba from Gwoza and Modu Mukhtar from Bama lauded the military and other security agencies for their efforts in restoring relative peace for people to return and farm.
They, however, asked for more intensive military operations to clear the remnants of insurgents still posing threats to farmers.
“There is still a vast land for farming activities that are not accessible due to threats from remnants of insurgents.
“We need massive and sustained clearance operations by security to enable thousands of farmers to access their farms for more food production.
“This is to help us escape the rising threat of hunger being predicted, if nothing was done to improve security,” Buba said.
Fati Abba from Jere and Tijjani Bulama from Konduga said there were still incidents of attacks on farmers clearing their farmlands, in spite of a recent 10-day clearance operations by the military.
“We need another massive clearance operation and, if necessary, the establishment of military bases in strategic areas in bushes around Sambisa forest and other dangerous areas to protect farmers and fishermen.
“Agriculture is the major opportunity left for millions resettled to recover from poverty, hence allowing the remnant of insurgents to continue to pose threats to agriculture is dangerous,” Bulama said.
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Habu Ibrahim in Jere also called for an intensified clampdown on the remaining insurgents to enable motorists to operate smoothly on the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki Road as well as Maiduguri-Gwoza-Mubi Road, Maiduguri-Dikwa-Ngala Road and Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu Road.
“Everything possible needs to be done to ensure these federal roads are fully operational like the Maiduguri-Damaturu Road.
“Our security must not allow terrorists to continue to pose serious threats to the return of normalcy in the Northeast.
“These terrorists overcame the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari with similar threats.
“They should not be allowed to do the same to Tinubu’s administration,” Ibrahim said.
(NAN)
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