In a brazen assault that has left the farming communities of Kwaga and Ungwan Zako in shock, bandits raided two villages in Kaduna’s Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, setting fire to harvested maize on multiple farms.
This devastation occurred within 48 hours of a peace meeting aimed at reducing violence in the area, led by cleric Sheik Assadus Sunnah.
Eyewitnesses recounted how maize farms lining the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway were ignited in the attack, with the flames sweeping through six hectares, including the land of a farmer named Malam Tanko.
“We are helpless and totally confused,” Tanko shared, adding that repeated attacks on farms threaten not just his livelihood but the food security of the entire community.
For residents relying heavily on their crops, the destruction of the maize harvest portends severe consequences. “If the bandits continue to destroy our crops, we will be left with nothing,” Tanko said, calling on the government to urgently secure the area and protect farmers’ lands.
Banditry has imposed a relentless strain on the people of Birnin-Gwari, who live under constant threat, with many losing loved ones, property, and their means of survival. “We are tired of living in fear,” expressed one resident, who pleaded for sustained peace and security measures.
While state officials had not released a formal response at the time of reporting, the Chairman of the Birnin Gwari-Niger Interboundaries Communities Association, Ishaq Usman Kasai, confirmed that the attack was carried out by a group led by notorious bandit leader Yellow Jamboros.
Kasai urged the Federal Government to collaborate with state authorities to establish a national plan for combating banditry and safeguarding communities.