President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Farouk Mudi, has raised concern over the growing imposition of illegal levies on farmers by armed groups in parts of the northern region, warning that the situation could worsen the country’s food supply challenges.
Mudi said farmers in Kano and Katsina States are being compelled to pay what he described as a criminal farming tax before they can access their farmlands or harvest their produce. He noted that the practice has continued despite ongoing security operations and repeated assurances from government authorities.
Speaking through the association’s National Public Relations Officer II, Ademola Oyetunji, the AFAN president condemned the development, stressing that it poses a serious threat to agricultural production, rural livelihoods and national food security. According to him, many farmers are being left with no option but to either comply with the demands or abandon their farms.
Reports from affected communities indicate that more than 1,200 farmers have recently been forced to pay a compulsory levy of N50,000 each. Mudi described the situation as alarming, saying criminal elements now exercise control over rural areas by issuing ultimatums and sending representatives to collect payments.
He explained that farmers are already under pressure from high input costs and limited access to credit, making the additional burden unbearable. As a result, many are withdrawing from farming activities, a trend he warned could lead to higher unemployment and reduced food production.
Mudi also expressed concern over what he termed the apparent indifference of authorities, cautioning that continued inaction could undermine public confidence in government. He said the ability of bandits to collect taxes and enforce compliance reflects a dangerous erosion of state authority.
According to AFAN, the growing influence of armed groups in farming communities is worsening poverty by cutting off farmers from their primary source of income. The association warned that failure to urgently restore security and dismantle these illegal taxation practices could further reduce agricultural output, with serious consequences for food availability and prices across the country.
