The Kaduna State Government has recovered about 500,000 hectares of farmland previously controlled by bandits, allowing farmers in affected communities to return to agricultural activities.
Improved security operations, community-based initiatives and early warning mechanisms were deployed to weaken the influence of bandits and restore access to rural settlements and farmlands.
The development was recorded across affected farming communities in Kaduna State, where insecurity had earlier prevented residents from accessing large areas of agricultural land.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this yesterday during a gala night organised by the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel as part of its annual retreat in Kaduna.
Maiyaki said bandits had previously exercised significant control over some rural communities, including imposing levies, regulating farming activities and demanding payments from residents.
He explained that the government adopted both military and non-military measures to address the security challenges, while traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations and other community stakeholders were brought into the response.
According to the commissioner, 75 potential security threats were identified between 2023 and early 2026, with 70 of them successfully resolved before they could develop into communal or religious conflicts.
Maiyaki added that the improved security situation had encouraged greater investment in agriculture, with the state’s allocation to the sector rising from ₦1.4 billion in 2023 to more than ₦100 billion in 2026.
He said the increased funding had supported the distribution of fertiliser to farmers at no cost and contributed to higher crop yields, with maize production rising from about three bags per hectare to as much as 22 bags in some cases.
The commissioner said the government would continue to focus on measures that improve food production, strengthen rural livelihoods and restore normal economic activities in communities affected by insecurity.