Farmers in Northeast Nigeria Fear for Safety as Boko Haram Disrupts Planting Season

Farmers in Borno and Yobe states have expressed deep concerns over their safety as the rainy season approaches, citing the persistent threat of Boko Haram terrorist attacks in the region. 

Many have already abandoned their farms, fearing for their lives, while others are considering alternative livelihoods to survive.

In interviews with The News Chronicle on Sunday evening in Maiduguri, several farmers shared their struggles and fears.

Among them was Bakura Abubakar, who has decided to give up farming altogether due to the escalating violence.

“I won’t risk my life just to farm because Boko Haram has taken over the area,”  he said. “Instead, I’ll start a barber shop business since I already have some experience in it. At least that way, I can stay in the city and avoid the danger.”

For many, even venturing a few kilometers outside  Maiduguri the state capital is now a death sentence. Madam Mercy, a mother of five, described the dire situation facing residents.

“We are moving around like dead people in Borno,” she lamented. “Just five kilometers away from Maiduguri is extremely dangerous. Farming may not happen this year, but we don’t know what God will do. As journalist, you hear the gunshots and bomb blasts almost every week just last week, the sounds of violence filled the air. Please, you are our voice; help us tell the world what is happening here.”

Uztaz Abubakar Sadiq, a farmer based in Maiduguri with farmland in Yobe State, warned that Boko Haram’s attacks on farmers could have devastating consequences beyond the region.

“From what I have observed, Boko Haram is deliberately trying to force farmers to stay at home,” he said. “The danger of this is that it will not only hurt our local communities but also affect the entire country’s food security. If farming stops, hunger will spread.”

Amid the rising insecurity, Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has called for a day of fasting and prayers on Monday, May 19, 2025, urging residents to seek divine intervention against the violence.

Meanwhile, Christians in Maiduguri have also joined Muslims in special prayers as terrorist attacks continue to escalate across the state.

The situation remains tense, with farmers uncertain about their future and the broader implications for Nigeria’s food supply.