A farmer in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State has abandoned his farmland after suspected bandits demanded a payment of N500,000 before allowing him to harvest his crops.
The incident occurred in Mbagena Council Ward, where residents have reportedly been subjected to repeated attacks and extortion by armed groups operating within the community.
The farmer’s son, John James, a 300-level student of Benue State University, disclosed the ordeal over the weekend at a capacity-building workshop on Promoting Safety and Security Rights, Accountability and Access to Justice organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Makurdi.
According to James, the attackers stormed his family home about two weeks ago at night and demanded N500,000 from his father, who combines farming with public service. He said the gunmen initially gave his father three days to pay but later extended the deadline to one week after he explained that he needed to harvest his crops to raise the money.
James said his father had intended to harvest groundnuts, beniseed and soyabeans to meet the demand.
“About two weeks ago, terrorists invaded his compound in the night where he was sleeping alongside my mother after work. They charged him to pay a ransom of N500,000. My father pleaded with them because there was nothing at the moment. He had to plead with them for our lives because contacting the security will only worsen the situation.”
He added that while efforts were ongoing to raise the money, the attackers returned and abducted his mother, accusing his father of deliberately delaying payment. At the time, the farmer was said to be away attending a burial in Katsina-Ala town.
James, however, said his mother was later released after one of the abductors intervened, citing her visible distress.
“She was freed but not without being tortured. As I talk to you now, my mother is suffering emotionally and physically from the pains she suffered in the course of the torture,” he said.
He explained that his father was eventually able to gather N200,000 from friends and relatives, which he delivered to the attackers at midnight last Thursday. However, the bandits insisted on full payment before granting full access to the farm.
“When my father returned and handed them the money, they said it was not enough, that he had to complete it to N500,000 before he would be allowed to harvest anything from his farm,” he said.
Although the partial payment enabled him to harvest a portion of his produce, the farmer has since fled the area due to persistent threats over the outstanding balance of N300,000.
“They are still threatening my father for the remaining amount, and he is on the run for fear of the unknown. He can’t go back to harvest everything now until he gets all the money,” James added.
He further alleged that the attackers operate openly within the community and are known to some residents.
“These people are moving freely in our vicinity, and they are local bandits. In fact, some of them are known to the villagers because they are from the same community,” he said.
James noted that such incidents are not isolated, as many villagers reportedly face similar threats, attacks and extortion. He added that fear of reprisal has discouraged residents from reporting cases to security agencies.
“The villagers hardly report to police because those who attempted were killed by the bandits,” he alleged.
The SERAP workshop provided an avenue for affected residents to share their experiences, while also equipping them with knowledge on how to seek justice, demand accountability and assert their rights in the face of growing insecurity
