Armed Groups Allegedly Extort Kano, Katsina Farmers, Demand ₦50,000 Per Acre Ahead of Harvest

Armed Groups Allegedly Extort Kano, Katsina Farmers, Demand ₦50,000 Per Acre Ahead of Harvest

Armed groups operating in parts of Kano State and Katsina State have allegedly begun extorting farmers, demanding payments of up to ₦50,000 per acre from sugarcane growers ahead of harvest, as they enforce what residents describe as a parallel system of governance within key forest reserves.

Reports on Friday indicated that the armed groups have established strongholds in Rugu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State and Falgore Forest in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State. From these locations, they are said to be imposing illegal farm levies, issuing threats, and punishing farmers who fail to comply.

Farmers who refuse to pay reportedly face intimidation, destruction of crops, and the threat of violent attacks, forcing many to abandon their farmlands entirely. While sugarcane farmers are said to be the primary targets, maize production in the affected communities has also been disrupted.

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An activist, Bakatsine, who disclosed the situation via his X handle @DanKatsina50, noted that the forests lie within the Kano–Katsina food belt, a critical agricultural corridor supplying sugarcane and maize to major markets, including Dawanau Market in Kano.

Agriculture experts have warned that sustained disruption of farming activities in the area could trigger food shortages and rising food prices across northern Nigeria, worsening the country’s food-security challenges.

Despite the presence of military and police checkpoints along the Falgore road, the report claimed that armed groups are operating within five kilometres of these security positions, raising concerns over the effectiveness of security coverage in rural communities.

Local residents describe the situation as a gradual takeover, with armed actors allegedly enforcing rules, collecting levies, and controlling daily economic activities without resistance.

The development has intensified calls for urgent intervention by the Kano and Katsina state governments, as well as federal security agencies, to dismantle the alleged parallel structures and avert a looming food-security crisis.

As of press time, no official response had been issued by the affected state governments or security agencies.

Armed Groups Allegedly Extort Kano, Katsina Farmers, Demand ₦50,000 Per Acre Ahead of Harvest