Suspected bandits have reportedly set fire to six farmlands in Kwaga village and Unguwar Zako, both located within the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday, has left the farmers devastated, with large quantities of maize and other crops that had been harvested, completely destroyed.
Community members, especially the farmers whose livelihoods were directly impacted, have shared their accounts of the incident, expressing shock and frustration. According to eyewitnesses, the bandits stormed the farms, setting fire to everything in their path, including the maize that had been harvested and stored.
Among those affected was Kabiru Kwaga, a farmer who had harvested over 160 bags of maize from his farm last year. Tragically, the entire stock was consumed by the flames. Surajo Kwaga, another farmer from the same village, was also hit hard, losing the 40 bags of maize he had harvested. Dan Gido, another farmer, had hopes of a bumper harvest, expecting at least 65 bags, but was left empty-handed after the fire destroyed his crop, which had only reached 50 bags the previous year.
Ishaq Usman Kasai, the chairman of the Birnin Gwari-Niger Inter-boundaries Communities Association, confirmed the attacks and linked the assailants to a notorious criminal gang led by the infamous Yellow Jamboros. Kasai revealed that this criminal group has been responsible for a series of violent incidents in the region, further destabilizing the area and worsening the suffering of local residents.
The attack highlights the ongoing insecurity that farmers in Kaduna State are facing, with many fearing for their safety and economic well-being as the bandits continue to target agricultural communities.
