News in brief: Nigerian farmers in Gombe State are resorting to extreme measures, including sleeping on their farms and paying vigilantes, to protect their crops due to rising theft.
Nigerian farmers in Gombe State are reportedly taking extreme measures to safeguard their crops from theft. These measures have become necessary in the light of increasing crop theft, they told a local media outlet.
Some farmers are choosing to sleep on their farms to keep watch. Others have resorted to paying money to vigilantes to protect their crops.
Farmers lamented that the situation was worrying, which is why they are applying various efforts at helping to control it. Security groups are charging large farms between â¦40,000 to â¦100,000 to protect their crops.
However, many smallholder farmers who could not afford the sums have taken the job of securing their farms on themselves. Hunger has been cited as a reason for the increasing cases of crop theft.
The Gombe State police spokesman, ASP Mahid Abubakar said that the command was yet to be furnished with information regarding crop theft. He advised farmers to report any cases of theft to the police for prompt action.
The increasing incidence of crop theft is a serious problem for farmers in Gombe State. The measures they are undertaking to secure their produce are costly and time-consuming. They have urged the police to take action to address this problem and protect farmers’ livelihoods.
Gombe had also been in the news recently over hippopotamusâ attacks on farmlands, warranting the formation of several vigilante groups to deal with the menace.
The agriculture sector accounts for approximately 80% of employment in the State. Major crops in Gombe include groundnut, cowpea, cotton, pepper, tobacco, sugarcane, more.
