Military Launches Nationwide Patrols to Protect Farmers Amid Soaring Insecurity

Amid a surge in violent attacks on agricultural communities, the Nigerian military has intensified both aerial and ground operations to secure farmers and safeguard national food security.

Between January and July 2025, Nigeria has witnessed multiple deadly attacks on farming populations. These include:

• 40 farmers killed in Borno State on January 13

• 15 slain in Waje village, Kebbi, on May 19

• 20 massacred in coordinated March raids in Ondo State

• 11 murdered in Sokoto in April by suspected gang led by Bello Turji

• 27 killed in Plateau’s Tahoss community on July 16

In a statement issued Tuesday, Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, confirmed that troops have been deployed across the country, particularly in high-risk zones, to ensure a secure farming season.

“Our troops are conducting aggressive foot and aerial patrols across all theatres to guarantee security for farmers,” Kangye said. “We have significantly degraded terrorist and bandit threats in areas such as northern Borno, the North-West, and North-Central Nigeria.”

Responding to concerns that southern communities may have been left out, Kangye clarified that the military’s operations were not region-specific:

“Our operations are nationwide. We’re working to create a conducive farming environment across Nigeria — not just in the North.”

This intervention comes as experts raise alarms over a looming food crisis. On July 12, Nuhu Kilishi, Director of Nutrition and Food Safety at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, warned that over 161 million Nigerians now face food insecurity.

“Only 20% of Nigerians are currently food secure,” Kilishi stated, linking the crisis directly to insecurity and economic hardship.

With food insecurity levels climbing from 35% in 2014 to 74% in 2025, authorities are under mounting pressure to protect farmers and restore confidence in rural communities.