By Leo Zwànke, Lafia
Farmers in Anyarkeke, Ikyochiha, Shankodi, and China communities of Ribi District, Jangwa Development Area, Awe Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, have raised serious allegations against government officials and traditional leaders. They claim their rice crops are being forcefully harvested by individuals led by the Chief of Jangwa, Shehu Adamu, allegedly acting under orders from the state government.
When our Correspondent visited the communities on Friday who are predominantly Tiv farming communities, with a population of over 10,000, are in turmoil as their main source of livelihood is being threatened. Some farmers alleged that security personnel, including heavily armed soldiers, accompanied the officials to their farms to carry out the harvest.
Narrating his ordeal, Mr. Joseph Faga, one of the affected farmers, said, “The planting season was peaceful, but everything changed during harvest. I found the commissioner overseeing the Ministry of Agriculture, the local government chairman, and the chief of Jangwa harvesting my rice. When I confronted them, they said it was an order from the state government.”
Faga added, “They have been threshing my rice for three days now under tight security. I feel helpless watching my hard work being taken away like this.”
Another farmer, Mr. Vitalis Chiangi, expressed similar anguish, describing the situation as devastating. “This rice is our only source of income and survival. We plead with the authorities to intervene before things escalate further,” he said.
Community leader Iorlaha Aloysius accused the government of acting contrary to a court order and ignoring the farmers’ rights. “The land is not under dispute, and a high court in Abuja had restrained the state government or any party from interfering with the Tiv farmers. If the government wants the land, they should call for dialogue instead of harvesting our crops without notice. This is unjust and inhuman,” Aloysius stated.
The farmers estimated that over 400 bags of rice had already been harvested from their farms, leaving them in dire straits.
When contacted, the chairman of Awe Local Government Area, Hon. Dankano, denied any involvement in the matter. “I am not aware of such an incident, but I will investigate and provide more information,” he said. When pressed about allegations that he was present during the harvest, Dankano maintained, “I have no knowledge of the situation, but I will look into it and revert.”
Governor Abdullahi Sule recently addressed similar concerns during a visit to Jangwa Development Area, where the state government oversaw the harvest of 2,000 hectares of rice. “The state government has no intention of forcefully taking land from anyone. If there is a need for land acquisition, the right processes, including compensation, will be followed,” the governor assured.
The governor also dismissed allegations circulating on social media about the government’s involvement in the forced harvesting of farmers’ crops. “We are committed to ensuring transparency and fairness in our operations,” he added.
The affected farmers have called on the state and federal governments to investigate the incident, return their harvested rice, and ensure that such occurrences are prevented in the future.
