A resident of the Mbagena Council Ward in the Kastina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State has been forced to abandon his farmland. This decision followed threats from suspected local bandits who demanded a ransom of N500,000 before allowing him to harvest his crops.
The incident was shared by the farmer’s son, John James, a student at Benue State University, during a security and accountability workshop organized by SERAP in Makurdi. James explained that his father, who balances a public sector job with agriculture, was initially confronted at his home two weeks ago. When the farmer claimed he lacked the funds, the attackers granted him extra time to harvest and sell produce like groundnuts, beniseed, and soybeans.
The situation turned violent when the gunmen returned and abducted the farmer’s wife because they believed the ransom payment was being delayed. Although she was eventually released following an intervention by one of the kidnappers, she suffered significant physical and emotional distress from torture. The farmer eventually managed to scrape together N200,000 from friends and relatives, handing it over to the criminals on a Thursday. Despite the payment, the bandits remained unmoved, insisting that the full N500,000 be paid before he could return to his fields.
Fearing for his life, the farmer has fled the area, leaving his crops unharvested. James noted that the perpetrators live within the community and are well-known to locals. He further highlighted that residents are often too terrified to report these crimes to the police, citing cases where individuals who reached out to security forces were subsequently killed by the criminal groups.
