The Katsina State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hussaini Hamisu Yanduna, has said that persistent armed banditry has brought unimaginable hardship upon farmers in the state.
He made this statement during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebrations held in Katsina.
Speaking at a well-attended rally featuring dignitaries including Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, Yanduna lamented the devastating impact of insecurity on rural farming communities.
He recalled a harrowing 2024 attack in Kankara that claimed nearly 50 lives and led to the abduction of many others, describing it as one of many tragedies that have pushed farmers off their lands, disrupted food production, and worsened inflation.
“Farming communities have faced unprecedented hardship,” Yanduna told the crowd of workers, officials, and community leaders
“The insecurity has led to abandoned farms, rising food prices, and has shaken the core of rural life.”
He acknowledged the efforts of the current administration, including the deployment of over 2,000 youth to vulnerable areas and the provision of armoured vehicles through the Community Watch Corps, which he said were helping to restore a sense of safety.
Despite these efforts, he warned that the wounds to the agricultural economy and rural livelihood remain deep.
He called on the federal government to do more to strengthen security in Katsina and ensure that farmers can return to their fields without fear.
“No society can thrive without food security,” Yanduna emphasized. “Regardless of development in other sectors, if farmers cannot farm, the entire nation suffers.”
The Workers’ Day event also celebrated strides in worker welfare under Governor Radda’s administration, including the implementation of the minimum wage, prompt payment of gratuities, and settlement of pensions.
The governor reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and building a productive workforce, calling workers the “backbone of national development” and “agents of change.”
Yanduna concluded his address with a passionate appeal for unity and civic courage.
“The path forward demands courage, cooperation, and unwavering commitment to justice. When we reclaim our civic space, we reclaim our dignity, and when every farmer can go to the field without fear, then we can say we are truly progressing.”
The event ended on a note of hope, as many Katsina workers expressed renewed solidarity and determination to shape a more secure and equitable future.
