The Federal government through the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has announced the deployment of 10,000 agro rangers across the country.
This is in a move to curtail insecurity across the food producing belt of the country which has negatively impact food production across the country in recent times.
The Special Assistant to President Tinubu on New Media, Olusegun Dada disclosed this in a post on his official X handle.
According to the statement, the agro-rangers initiative is a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) noting that agro rangers will help protect farmers against malicious destruction of farmlands as well as farmer herder conflict.
The post reads, “As part of ongoing efforts to enhance food security in the Northern region and other parts of the country, the FG through the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC) has deployed over 10,000 Agro Rangers across 19 states and the FCT.”
“The Agro Rangers will, among other things; safeguard farmlands and protect farmers from escalating attacks, mediate conflicts between farmers and herders, and prevent malicious destruction of farmlands. While the food inflation crisis in the country is a function of many factors, insecurity has been a long term challenge and this collaboration between the NSCDC and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is expected to solve a major challenge faced by farmers across the country.”
Backstory
The deployment of agro-rangers stems from earlier plans by the federal government through the National Economic Council (NEC) in February this year to establish agro-rangers as a short-term solution to the insecurity in the country pending when the long-term solution of state police is achieved.
Widespread insecurity, particularly in the northern region, has forced many farmers to abandon their lands, resulting in a significant decrease in food production and contributing to the rising food prices nationwide. Just last week, attacks on farming communities in Benue State, known as the nation’s food basket, led to the tragic deaths of over 20 people.
As of July 2024, food inflation has surged to 40.87%. In response, the federal government has floated the idea of establishing state police forces. However, this proposal cannot be implemented through executive orders or solely by an act of parliament from the National Assembly, even though the bill to create state police has already passed its second reading in the legislature.
