By Adamu Aliyu Ngulde (The African Digest News)
Twin attacks in Borno State (Nigeria) highlight growing risks to farming communities as insecurity threatens food production
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 11 farmers in two separate attacks in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State over the weekend, underscoring the persistent insecurity facing rural communities as the planting season begins.
According to local anti-militia members, seven farmers were rounded up and killed on Saturday in Kuwawu village of Konduga Local Government Area while preparing their fields for cultivation. The victims had travelled from the nearby town of Monguno to work on their farmland when they were attacked.
“All seven farmers were slaughtered by ISWAP insurgents, and their bodies were recovered and buried yesterday,” an anti-militia member, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told The African Digest.
In a separate incident on the same day, four other farmers were killed while working on farmland near Kross Kauwa in the Lake Chad region, according to local vigilante sources.
Community members and anti-militia fighters blamed both attacks on the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an insurgent group that split from Boko Haram and has maintained a strong presence around the Lake Chad basin.
The latest killings highlight the growing dangers confronting farmers in northeastern Nigeria, where militant groups frequently target civilians, extort rural communities and restrict access to agricultural land.
Residents say insurgents often impose levies on farmers seeking access to their fields and have repeatedly attacked those who refuse or are unable to pay.
The violence comes as thousands of farmers return to their land ahead of the rainy season, raising fresh concerns over food production and livelihoods in one of Nigeria’s most agriculturally important regions.
Northern Nigeria produces a significant share of the country’s staple cereals, making continued insecurity a major threat to national food supplies and rural incomes.
The International Monetary Fund has warned that declining agricultural activity could deepen poverty and worsen food insecurity in a country where millions already face acute hunger.
Despite sustained military operations against insurgent groups, attacks on farmers and fishing communities remain frequent across parts of Borno State, particularly in areas surrounding Lake Chad, the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains.
Local leaders have repeatedly called for increased security patrols and stronger protection for farming communities to enable residents to cultivate their land without fear of violence.
The attacks add to a growing list of civilian casualties linked to the long-running insurgency, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across northeastern Nigeria over the past 16 years.
Security authorities had not issued an official statement on the latest incidents at the time of filing this report, while investigations into the attacks were ongoing.
The killings underscore the difficult balance between restoring livelihoods and maintaining security in Nigeria’s northeast, where many displaced families continue to depend on farming despite the persistent threat of insurgent violence.
By: Adamu Aliyu Ngulde – The African Digest News
