The Kaduna State Government has announced that farmers have returned to more than 500,000 hectares of agricultural land previously controlled by bandits, citing improved security measures implemented over the last three years. Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this during a Gala Night organised by the Kano Correspondents' Chapel at its annual retreat in Kaduna on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Community-Led Security and Early Warning Systems
Maiyaki explained that the security situation in rural communities had deteriorated significantly, with bandits controlling both residents and farming activities. He said, "It was so bad that farmers could not go to their farms. But today, with community-led security and early warning systems, peace has returned, and our farmers are back on the land."
The commissioner noted that the state's approach went beyond conventional military responses. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, and other community stakeholders were integrated into a broader framework designed to detect and prevent threats before they escalated.
Threats Contained and Agricultural Budget Surge
Between 2023 and early 2026, the government identified 75 potential threats, of which 70 were successfully contained before turning into communal or religious crises. This success has been linked to a dramatic rise in the state's agricultural budget, which climbed from N1.4 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026.
Part of that funding was channelled into free fertiliser for farmers, contributing to a significant jump in maize yields from roughly three bags per hectare to as many as 22 bags. The commissioner highlighted this as evidence of growing confidence in the security environment.
Infrastructure and Broader Development
Beyond farming inputs, Maiyaki linked the revival of agricultural activity to road construction and rehabilitation across 12 local government areas, which eased the transport of produce to markets. He framed security improvements as the foundation for wider progress in education and healthcare across the state.
"Security is the foundation. Without it, we cannot achieve anything in health, education, or agriculture. Today, Kaduna is setting benchmarks for others to follow," the commissioner said. He added that the government measured success by the real impact on residents' lives rather than by the number of projects completed.
Ongoing Security Concerns
Despite these gains, Legit.ng reported that armed men attacked the Narido community in Kauru LGA, Kaduna State, killing over 30 people, including women and children. The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) wrote an open letter to the Kaduna State government, and the Commissioner of Police, in a letter dated July 27, 2026, called for the urgent deployment of security forces. The union warned that rural communities across Southern Kaduna face repeated attacks, displacement, and destruction of farmlands.
