A farmer in Kastina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State has reportedly abandoned his farm after suspected bandits demanded N500,000 before allowing him to access and harvest his crops.
The farmer, a resident of Mbagena Council Ward in Kastina-Ala LGA, was allegedly attacked at his residence by suspected bandits who imposed the ransom as a condition for his safety and access to his farm.
His son, John James, a 300-level student of Benue State University, disclosed the incident during a capacity-building workshop on Promoting Safety and Security Rights, Accountability and Access to Justice organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, in Makurdi.
James said the incident occurred about two weeks ago when suspected bandits invaded his father’s home at night while he was sleeping with his wife.
According to him, the attackers demanded N500,000 and initially gave his father three days to raise the money. The deadline was later extended to one week after the farmer explained that he had no immediate access to the money because he had yet to harvest his farm produce.
The farmer had hoped to raise the ransom by harvesting crops including groundnuts, beniseed, soybeans and other produce from his farm.
James said the situation became more dangerous when the attackers returned to the family home while his father was away attending a burial ceremony near Kastina-Ala town.
The bandits reportedly abducted his mother, accusing the farmer of deliberately delaying the payment.
James said his mother was eventually released after one of the abductors reportedly pleaded for her freedom after seeing her crying and in distress.
However, he alleged that she was tortured before being released and has continued to suffer emotional and physical effects from the ordeal.
According to James, his father subsequently sought financial assistance from friends and relatives and managed to raise N200,000, which he paid to the bandits at midnight on Thursday.
The payment, however, did not end the crisis.
James said the bandits insisted that the farmer must pay the remaining N300,000 before he would be permitted to return to his farm and harvest the rest of his crops.
“When my father returned and handed them the money, they said it was not enough and that he had to complete it to N500,000 before he would be allowed to harvest anything from his farm,” he said.
The continuing threats have reportedly forced the farmer to flee the area, leaving his crops behind.
James said his father is currently in hiding because of fears for his safety and cannot return to the farm until the full ransom demand is settled.
He also alleged that suspected local bandits were operating freely in the community, with some reportedly known to residents.
“These people are moving freely in our vicinity, and they are local bandits. In fact, some of them are known to the villagers because they are from the same community,” James said.
He added that his father’s experience was part of a wider pattern of insecurity affecting residents of the area.
James explained that while this was the first time his father had allegedly been forced to pay money specifically to access his farm, he had previously been attacked several times, with his money and belongings reportedly taken.
“Other villagers suffer a similar fate regularly. However, it’s the first time my father has been charged a ransom for harvest. But he had been attacked several times where his money and goods were carted away,” he said.
The university student further expressed concern about residents’ reluctance to report attacks to security agencies.
He alleged that some villagers who had attempted to seek police intervention were subsequently targeted by the bandits.
“The villagers hardly report to police because those who attempted were killed by the bandits,” he alleged.
The incident highlights the growing challenges faced by farmers and rural communities affected by insecurity, particularly where threats and ransom demands can prevent residents from accessing their farms and harvesting their crops.
The SERAP workshop in Makurdi provided an avenue for community members to share their experiences of insecurity and discuss ways of demanding accountability, seeking justice and protecting their rights to safety and security.
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