A farmer in Kastina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State has reportedly been forced to abandon his farm after suspected bandits demanded N500,000 before he could access and harvest his crops.
The farmer, whose name was not disclosed, lives in Mbagena Council Ward, where suspected local bandits have allegedly been terrorising residents and imposing ransom demands on members of the community.
His son, John James, a 300-level student of Benue State University, disclosed the incident during a capacity-building workshop organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Makurdi at the weekend.
The workshop focused on promoting safety and security rights, accountability and access to justice.
James said his father, who combines farming with public service, was attacked at his residence about two weeks ago by suspected bandits who demanded N500,000.
According to him, the attackers initially gave his father three days to raise the money but later extended the deadline to one week after he explained that he could not immediately raise the amount because he had yet to harvest his farm produce.
He said his father had returned home to harvest groundnut, beniseed, soyabean and other crops to generate money to meet the ransom demand.
James said, “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 explained that while his father was trying to raise the money, the attackers returned to the house and abducted his mother, accusing the farmer of deliberately delaying the payment.
James said his father was attending a burial ceremony near Kastina-Ala town when the attackers arrived and took his mother away.
He, however, said his mother was eventually released after one of the abductors pleaded for her freedom because she was crying and visibly distressed.
“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.
James said his father eventually sought help from friends and relatives and raised N200,000, which he handed over to the bandits at midnight on Thursday.
According to him, the payment enabled his father to harvest only part of his crops, as the attackers demanded the remaining N300,000 before allowing him to return to the farm and harvest the rest.
“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.
The student said the continued threats had forced his father to flee the community, leaving his crops behind.
“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 also expressed concern over the alleged freedom with which the suspected bandits operate in the community, claiming that some of them are known to 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 said his father’s experience was not an isolated case, noting that residents had repeatedly suffered attacks, theft and other forms of intimidation.
He explained that although this was the first time his father had been specifically asked to pay ransom before accessing his farm, he had previously been attacked, with his money and belongings allegedly taken.
“Other villagers suffer a similar fate regularly. However, it’s the first time my father has been charged a ransom for harvest. But he had been attacked several times where his money and goods were carted away,” he said.
The BSU student further raised concerns about residents’ reluctance to report attacks to security agencies, alleging that some villagers who attempted to seek police intervention were later targeted by the bandits.
“The villagers hardly report to police because those who attempted were killed by the bandits,” he alleged.
The SERAP workshop provided an opportunity for community members to share their experiences of insecurity while learning about their rights, accountability mechanisms and avenues for seeking justice and improved security.