Northern Farmers Pay Bandits To Farm — Reports

Northern Nigerian farmers pay bandits up to N100,000 in exchange for permission to farm.

According to a recent report, farmers in the North-West region must pay up to N100,000 in order to access their farmlands during planting or harvest season.

Farmers in Northern Nigeria paid N139.5 million in levies to bandits over the course of four years (2020–2023), according to a report by Africa-focused geopolitical research firm SBM Intelligence titled “Levies or Lives - The Dilemma Of Farmers in Northern Nigeria.”

It claimed that in the Northwest region, including in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and portions of Jigawa, the rise in banditry and armed attacks has disrupted livelihoods and the delivery of essential services.

According to the report, “In recent years, a concerning trend has emerged in some communities affected by banditry in Nigeria. Farmers are now forced to pay levies to bandits to access their farmlands and harvest their crops.

“Residents in affected areas reported paying substantial sums ranging from 70,000 to N100,000 to bandits for permission to farm, with additional payments required for harvesting.

“Some go as far as collecting a certain percentage of the harvest, confiscating farmers' lands, and forcefully co-opting villagers to cultivate the lands, harvest, and sell the farm produce.

“Those who resist these demands face severe consequences, including abduction, murder or confiscation of their produce.

“All these make things difficult for those who depend on agriculture for their livelihood and worsen food availability and affordability in the country.

“Across the north in the past four years, militants have made a fortune through various levies imposed on agrarian communities running into millions, which have exacerbated food insecurity and made people poorer.

“The presence of bandits, especially along the Galadimawa axis, has made it difficult for farmers to safely venture into nearby bushes during the dry season, hindering their ability to harvest their crops.

“The only option many had was to use whatever savings they had left to pay the bandits so they could be allowed to harvest their produce.

“Unlike imposing a fixed rate, bandits charge levies based on harvest volume, increasing the financial burden on farmers striving to break even.”