By Ado Oyeyemi
A farmer in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State has reportedly abandoned his farmland after suspected bandits demanded N500,000 before allowing him to return and harvest his crops.
The farmer, from Mbagena Council Ward, was said to have fled the community following repeated threats from the suspected criminals, leaving his farm produce, including groundnuts, beniseed and soybeans, unharvested.
His son, John James, a 300-level student of Benue State University, disclosed this at a capacity-building workshop on promoting safety, security rights, accountability and access to justice organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project in Makurdi.
James said his father, who combines public service with farming, was attacked at his residence about two weeks ago and ordered to pay N500,000.
According to him, the gunmen initially gave his father three days to raise the money but later extended the deadline to seven days after he explained that he needed to harvest some of his farm produce to raise the ransom.
James said the situation worsened when the suspected bandits later returned to the family residence and abducted his mother while his father was away attending a burial ceremony in Katsina-Ala.
He said his mother was eventually released after one of the attackers reportedly pleaded for her freedom after seeing her distressed.
James, however, alleged that his mother was subjected to physical and emotional abuse while in captivity.
He said his father subsequently sought financial assistance from relatives and friends and raised N200,000, which was reportedly handed over to the suspected bandits on Thursday night.
Rather than allowing the farmer to return to his farm, the attackers allegedly insisted that he must complete the N500,000 demand before he could harvest his crops.
James said the continued threats forced his father to flee the community for fear of further attacks.
“My father returned after giving them the money, but they told him it was not enough. They insisted that he must complete the N500,000 before he could access his farm and harvest anything.
“They are still demanding the balance and threatening him, so he has had to stay away from the community. His farm produce is still there because he cannot return until he feels safe,” he said.
The university student alleged that the suspected bandits had continued to operate around the community, adding that some residents reportedly knew their identities.
He said his father was not the only resident affected, claiming that other villagers had suffered repeated attacks, theft and intimidation.
According to James, the latest incident was the first time his father had allegedly been asked to pay money specifically for access to his farmland, although he had previously been attacked and robbed of cash and personal belongings.
He also expressed concern over the alleged reluctance of residents to report attacks to security agencies, claiming that some villagers who attempted to seek police intervention had subsequently been targeted by the criminals.
The allegations could not be independently verified as of the time of filing the report, while there was no immediate response from the Benue State Police Command regarding the claims.
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The incident has raised fresh concerns over the impact of insecurity on farming communities in Benue State, particularly the ability of farmers to access their fields and harvest their produce without fear of attack.
