Farms abandoned as bandits take over 13 FCT villages

Farmers across 13 rural communities in Gurdi Ward of Abaji Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have abandoned their farms following the invasion of the area by bandits and kidnappers. Aso Chronicle had reported that communities such as Rafindaji, Gulida and Paikon-Bassa, which share boundaries with neighbouring Niger State, through the River Gurara, […]

Farmers across 13 rural communities in Gurdi Ward of Abaji Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have abandoned their farms following the invasion of the area by bandits and kidnappers.

Aso Chronicle had reported that communities such as Rafindaji, Gulida and Paikon-Bassa, which share boundaries with neighbouring Niger State, through the River Gurara, had in recent times been under attack, where some villagers were abducted and two vigilantes killed by bandits.

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Aso Chronicle reliably gathered that people in the 13 communities of Paikon-Bassa, Gulida, Madani, Anguwa Dauda, Kwatakomi, Gwanda, Baribari, Shadadi, Chakumi, Tugudu, Kambu, Dogonruwa and Rafindaji have abandoned their farming activities as a result of the presence of bandits.

Some farmers who spoke with Aso Chronicle said they could no longer go to their farms and their wives no longer fetched firewood over fear of being kidnapped.

A farmer in Rafindaji, Dauda Yakubu, said he could no longer go to his farm after two of his relatives who were harvesting yam were abducted two weeks ago, noting that they were recently released after a N5m ransom.

The Village Head of Gulida, Abubakar Sadauna, while speaking with our reporter, said the incessant kidnapping had caused nightmares to his people.

He said the bandits mostly targeted farmers working on their farms and those conveying crops to neighbouring village markets in Niger State.

The District Head of Gurdi, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, also expressed concern over the activities of the bandits and kidnappers in the area, saying they crossed through the River Gurara to abduct farmers on their farms.

He, therefore, appealed to the FCT authorities to synergise with the Niger State Government to tame the activities of the bandits and kidnappers.

The spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, DSP Adeh Josephine, was yet to pick calls or reply to an SMS sent to her about the development.

Similarly, the spokesman of the Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached on his mobile phone.