Rising attacks in farming communities put Nigeria’s food supply under pressure – Report

Growing insecurity across parts of Nigeria’s rural belt is increasingly threatening farming communities, raising concerns about possible disruptions to food production and supply chains in the coming months. Recent security assessments show that criminal groups and armed gangs are expanding their activities into agricultural areas, targeting farmers, stealing farm assets and using rural communities as operational bases for kidnapping and ransom operations.

In Plateau State, a recent attack on a farmer in Barkin Ladi highlights what security analysts say is a broader trend of criminal activity spilling into agricultural zones. The farmer was reportedly assaulted and robbed of his motorcycle while working on his farm in Rakun village.

The latest SBM Intelligence West Africa Security and Political Economy report, covering 6 to 12 March 2026, revealed that while such incidents may appear isolated but often feed into wider criminal economies that sustain kidnapping networks and other forms of organised violence.

“Although the theft of a motorcycle may appear minor, such vehicles are often used in larger kidnapping operations or sold to finance weapons purchases,” SBM noted.

The attack also reflects growing confidence among criminal groups operating in rural areas. SBM report notes that the timing of the incident — which occurred in the late afternoon — suggests perpetrators are becoming increasingly comfortable carrying out attacks in daylight.

Other farming communities also affected

Beyond Plateau, several other rural communities across the country experienced similar security incidents during the week under review. In Kwara State, gunmen abducted an imam, a local security guard and his son along the Oke-Ode–Babanla road in Ifelodun Local Government Area, an area surrounded by farming settlements and rural trading routes. Security analysts say the attack suggests criminal groups may be positioning themselves along forest fringes near agricultural communities to intercept travellers and residents moving between villages.

“The attackers are likely remnants of gangs displaced by military operations in Niger State, now using the dense vegetation around the Ifelodun axis as a temporary hideout,” SBM Intelligence noted in the report, warning that the incident could signal the establishment of temporary checkpoints along rural roads.

Other rural communities also reported violent incursions by bandits during the week. In Zamfara State’s Bungudu Local Government Area, gunmen attacked Nahuce community, killing a resident and abducting 27 people, mostly women. Similar raids were recorded in parts of Katsina and Sokoto states, where bandits stormed villages and abducted residents during night-time attacks.

The SBM report warned that if such attacks persist, they could discourage farmers from returning to their fields, potentially reducing food production and affecting local food markets in the coming weeks.

Rural insecurity has long been a key driver of agricultural disruption in parts of Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt, where communities already face longstanding tensions over land use and access to resources. SBM raised concern about farmers working alone in remote locations as they could become more vulnerable to such attacks.

“While the state government may deploy additional mobile security units to farming areas, criminal groups may simply shift their activities into neighbouring local government areas,” the report added.

With Nigeria already facing persistent food inflation, SBM report warns that rising violence in farming communities could further strain agricultural output and deepen pressures on the country’s food supply system if the trend continues.