The Joint Security Watch in Kwara South has cautioned farmers across the senatorial district to be extremely careful during the current harvest season, citing persistent security threats in farming communities.
The group said cashew farmers and other agricultural producers are facing growing risks, especially in remote areas where criminal activities have been reported.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the security outfit acknowledged the fear and hardship confronting farmers who should ordinarily be enjoying the outcome of months of labour.
According to the advisory, farmers were urged to temporarily avoid farms located in isolated or high risk locations until the security situation improves.
Where farm visits cannot be postponed, they were advised to move only in groups and ensure proper coordination with local vigilante hunters, community based security structures or recognised security agencies operating in their areas.
The group stressed that farmers should not go to their farms alone under any circumstances.
Speaking through its coordinator, Elder Olaitan Oyin Zubair, the Joint Security Watch emphasised that personal safety must come before economic activity, noting that no harvest is worth the loss of life.
The Joint Security Watch also assured residents that security operations are ongoing in collaboration with local security outfits and relevant authorities.
These efforts, the group said, are aimed at reclaiming farmlands, securing forest paths and restoring confidence among farming communities.
Calling for patience and cooperation, the group urged farmers and other stakeholders to remain alert and support security initiatives, adding that steps are being taken to stabilise the area and allow agricultural activities to resume safely.
Kwara South remains one of the state’s major food and cash crop producing zones, particularly for cashew.
In recent months, however, farmers in several communities have expressed growing anxiety over attacks and threats linked to criminal elements operating around farms and forest corridors.
