NALDA’s multibillion naira project in ruins

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)’s multibillion naira agricultural mechanisation project in Daura, Katsina State,has collapsed, leaving behind abandoned infrastructure, missing livestock. The Suduje Agricultural Mechanisation Project, commissioned on July 19, 2021, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, was designed to empower at least 1,500 widows and orphans through integrated farming, livestock production and job […]

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)’s multibillion naira agricultural mechanisation project in Daura, Katsina State,has collapsed, leaving behind abandoned infrastructure, missing livestock.

The Suduje Agricultural Mechanisation Project, commissioned on July 19, 2021, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, was designed to empower at least 1,500 widows and orphans through integrated farming, livestock production and job creation.

However, less than five years later, Daily Trust findings show that the project has been abandoned.

A visit to the site revealed widespread decay and neglect.

Animal pens built for cattle, goats and sheep are now empty. Poultry sections, fish ponds and rabbit enclosures have been deserted, while key infrastructure has deteriorated.

The once-bustling facility is now overgrown with weeds and infested with reptiles and insects, raising safety concerns among nearby residents.

Residents said the transformation from a vibrant agricultural hub to a ghost facility occurred rapidly.

“Everything stopped suddenly. Workers disappeared and the animals were taken away. Since then, the place has been abandoned,” a resident, Imam Sulaiman, told Daily Trust.

Community members traced the collapse of the project to the period following the death of former President Buhari in 2023.

According to multiple sources, operations slowed within months before grinding to a halt. Equipment and livestock were reportedly evacuated, though no official explanation has been provided.

The lack of transparency has fuelled suspicion and anger among residents.

Questions over accountability

Although the exact cost of the project has not been officially disclosed, residents said “billions of naira” were invested, given the scale of infrastructure and resources deployed at inception.

The apparent abandonment has raised critical questions: What was the total budget? Who authorised the removal of livestock and equipment? Why has the facility remained idle without intervention?

Efforts by Daily Trust to obtain clarification from NALDA officials were unsuccessful as of press time, as staff insisted they were not authorised to speak without approval from the Abuja office.

Community leaders have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order an immediate investigation and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

They also urged the Federal Government to rehabilitate and revive the facility to fulfil its original mandate.

“This was not just a project; it was hope for hundreds of families. What has happened here is unacceptable,” a community leader, Tukur Abdulkarim, said.

For many intended beneficiaries, the collapse represents more than failed infrastructure.

Widows who had hoped for stable livelihoods and orphans who looked forward to training and employment opportunities are now left stranded.

“This place gave us hope. Now everything is gone,” another resident, Nasiru Ibrahim Suduje, said.

Analysts said the situation reflects a broader pattern of abandoned public projects across the country, often linked to poor oversight, weak institutional continuity and lack of accountability.

They warned that unless urgent steps are taken, such failures could undermine public trust in government interventions, particularly in critical sectors like agriculture.

As silence from authorities persists, frustration continues to mount in Daura.

Residents say they are no longer interested in promises but in concrete action—either the revival of the Suduje project or a transparent explanation of what went wrong.

For now, the facility stands as a stark reminder of lost opportunities and broken promises in a community that once believed it was on the path to transformation.