Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), says it has provided protection to 1, 830 resettled farmers to enable them cultivate their farmlands in Borno.
The Commandant of the Corps, Ibrahim Abdullahi, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
Abdullahi said the Agro Ranger Squad was designed to give physical protection to Agro-Allied Investments, including farmlands, livestock, silos, ranches and prevent farmer and herders conflicts.
He said that it was also designed to ensure stable livelihood and enhance food security for sustainable social and economic development of the state.
Abdullahi disclosed that the Command had deployed about 200 combined teams comprising NSCDC personnel, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and hunters to protect farmers against attacks by insurgents.
He noted that farming activities had resumed in areas, hitherto, terrorised by the insurgents, adding:”Farmers were attacked, farmlands destroyed and some of them were kidnapped by the insurgents”.
The Commandant said that farming activities had fully resumed in Njimtilo, Molai, Muna, Dalori, Jere, Maiduguri, Baga and Gubio axis.
“A survey conducted by men of the command revealed that about 250 farmers returned to their farmlands in Njimtilo, 730 in Molai, 300 in Dalori , 150 in Muna, while 400 farm in Gubio axis,” he said.
The Commandant said that most of the farmers expressed their joy as they recorded bumper harvest, especially in rice, sorghum, beans, sesame seeds, maize and other cash crops.
Abdullahi said that the squad also recorded successes in checking farmers and herders clashes through intensify response.
He said that the command had trained personnel on conflict management and resolution techniques under its dispute resolution campaign.
“Through the intervention of the command, many conflicts were prevented while rustle livestock belonging to herdsman were recovered from criminal elements,” he said.
He commended Gov. Babagana Zulum for support to the command with operational vehicles, personnel welfare and logistics, adding that the gesture enhance its operations. (NAN)
