For farmers in parts of Kwara State, the fear is no longer distant — it is approaching their fields.
A new warning from the Department of State Services (DSS) has revealed an alleged plan by armed bandits to intensify the kidnapping of farmers, raising fresh concerns about safety, food production, and survival in rural communities.
According to intelligence reports, the attacks are being linked to notorious bandit leaders, Auta-Ilorin and Siddi Dan-Kano, with farm settlements on the outskirts of Lema, Ndeji, and Gbugbu in Edu Local Government Area identified as likely targets.
But behind the intelligence brief lies a deeper reality.
These are not just locations — they are communities where families depend on daily farming to survive.
The DSS says the planned attacks may be retaliatory, following ongoing military operations that have disrupted criminal activities in the region.
“The planned disruption of farming activities is retaliation… this would cause the farmers to abdicate activities in the communities.”
For many residents, that warning feels personal.
If farmers are forced off their land, the impact will go beyond security — it will affect livelihoods, food supply, and already struggling local economies.
Authorities have been urged to act quickly, extending security operations to vulnerable communities to prevent what could become another wave of violence.
In recent months, insecurity in Kwara has intensified, especially in northern areas like Kaiama and Baruten, where attacks and clashes have left communities shaken.
Now, with new threats emerging, anxiety is growing once again.
For the people living closest to the land, the question is no longer just about safety.
It is about whether they can continue to farm — or whether fear will drive them away from the only life they know.