By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar
As the rainy season begins across parts of Katsina State, fear rather than hope is spreading through farming communities in Matazu Local Government Area, where escalating bandit attacks are threatening agricultural activities and deepening concerns over food security.
Recent killings of farmers, repeated raids on rural settlements, cattle rustling, and the imposition of illegal levies by armed groups have raised a troubling question among residents: will farmers be able to cultivate their lands this season?
Within days, multiple deadly attacks were reported across villages in Matazu. Local sources said more than eight farmers were killed while working on their farms in Salihawa and Nomau communities. Residents also reported persistent cattle theft and armed intimidation targeting rural households.
In another incident, six farmers were reportedly killed in Dugul while carrying out farming activities. Community members believe the attacks are strategically timed to coincide with the arrival of early rains, a development many interpret as an attempt by armed groups to prevent residents from accessing farmlands.
Beyond the killings, villagers in communities including Farin Tafki, Mahalba, Sayaya, Gincawa, and Kawari alleged that bandits have imposed millions of naira in illegal taxes on rural populations. Residents claim communities are being forced to contribute money under threats of violence, abduction, or death.
Security analysts say such extortion systems have increasingly become part of the operational structure of armed groups across northwestern Nigeria, where criminal gangs seek both territorial control and economic dominance over vulnerable rural populations.
One incident that particularly shocked residents occurred in Dikkawa village, where gunmen reportedly confronted a farmer on his land and asked: “Don’t you know there will be no farming this year?” Witnesses said the attackers immediately shot him dead afterward. For many locals, the statement reflected a deliberate campaign of fear aimed at paralysing farming activities across the area.
Fresh violence was also reported in Sayaya on Thursday, where two people were allegedly killed and several others injured while working on farms.
The worsening insecurity is already forcing many farmers to abandon cultivation despite the commencement of rainfall suitable for planting. Several residents warned that unless urgent security measures are implemented, large portions of farmland may remain uncultivated this season.
Agriculture remains the backbone of livelihoods in Matazu and surrounding rural communities. Any prolonged disruption to farming activities could worsen poverty levels, reduce food production, and contribute to rising food prices in the wider region.
Residents are now calling on the Nigerian government and security agencies to intensify rural security operations, particularly around farming corridors and vulnerable villages. Community leaders argue that without sustained protection, the fear gripping farmers may translate into a broader agricultural crisis.
For many households in Matazu, the concern is no longer only about surviving attacks, but whether farming itself is gradually becoming impossible under the shadow of persistent bandit violence.
