A farmer living in the Mbagena Council Ward of Kastina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State, has abandoned his fields after local criminals demanded a payment of N500,000 to allow him to gather his produce. The farmer’s son, John James, a 300-level student at Benue State University, detailed the incident during a workshop hosted by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Makurdi.
James explained that armed individuals invaded his parents’ home two weeks ago, threatening them and demanding the ransom. When the farmer could not provide the funds immediately, the attackers kidnapped his wife. Although she was released after being tortured, she remains physically and emotionally impacted. The farmer managed to gather N200,000 from friends and family, which he delivered at midnight on a Thursday. However, the criminals rejected the partial payment and insisted on the full N500,000 before he could finish harvesting his groundnuts, beniseed, and soybeans.
The ongoing threats have forced the farmer to flee his home, leaving his crops behind. James noted that the attackers are local residents known to the community, which prevents many victims from reporting crimes to the police for fear of violent retaliation. This incident is part of a broader pattern of intimidation in the area where residents face frequent theft and harassment, yet feel unable to seek justice from security agencies.
