News in Brief:
– The Enugu state government has launched the Agro-Rangers Squad, a security unit trained to protect farmers and agricultural facilities.
– This move aims to improve food security and agricultural production in the state by addressing farmer-herder clashes and other security threats.
Nigeria’s Enugu state has announced the establishment of a specialised unit, the Agro-Rangers Squad, to tackle security challenges faced by farmers in the state.
This was disclosed to newsmen by the state’s commissioner for agriculture and agro-industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, recently. According to the commissioner, the rangers, developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), will complement existing security measures.
Also, they will comprise personnel trained specifically in agricultural protection and equipped with advanced technology to counter security threats plaguing farmers, including both large-scale commercial operations and smaller holdings. Ubru emphasised the squad’s deployment to strategic locations across the state, encompassing major farms and agricultural processing facilities.
Additionally, the government is fostering dialogue with the Miyetti Allah cattle breeders’ association to encourage cooperation in ensuring statewide security and help regulate their members’ activities. Their collaboration is expected to be instrumental in identifying unauthorised herders who infiltrate the region and instigate conflicts with farmers.
The commissioner acknowledged the recurring clashes between farmers and herders in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area. To address this specific challenge, the state government, working alongside the federal government, has established a military base in the region. This plan is expected to significantly reduce future conflicts and deter individuals carrying illegal weapons within the area and its neighbouring communities.
Furthermore, the commissioner highlighted the Enugu State Government’s significant investments in agriculture, including partnerships with donor agencies to promote agro-industrial ventures.
He further elaborated on the government’s ambitious plan to propel Enugu’s economy from its current value of $4.4 billion to $30 billion within the next eight years. Large-scale investments in agriculture and mechanisation are central pillars of this vision, according to Ubru.
