NGO decries worsening food crisis in Nigeria as farmers face wave of attacks

A non-governmental organization, Save the Children has lamented that a relentless wave of attacks against farmers in Nigeria by armed groups is hindering critical food supplies and threatening to push the country deeper into a devastating hunger crisis this year.

In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, Save the Children lamented that increased attacks against farmers across parts of the country are leading to displacement, market disruptions and loss of livelihoods.

The NGO noted that according to the Nigerian Security Tracker, armed groups killed more than 128 farmers and kidnapped 37 others across Nigeria between January and June 2023.

It added that in June, 19 farmers were killed by non-state armed groups in Nigeria’s northern Borno State alone.

Famari Barro, Save the Children’s Country Director for Nigeria, said: “These violent attacks against farmers in Nigeria are exacerbating the already dire hunger crisis in the country, especially in the north where millions of children do not know where their next meal will come from. Armed groups committing these ruthless acts are not only disrupting food production but also pushing children to the brink.

“Urgent action must prioritise the needs of children to stop this devastating trend and protect innocent lives. If not, armed groups will continue to carry out brutal attacks, drive food prices, and push more families to starvation.”

Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001 and has been responding to the humanitarian crisis in the northeast since 2014.