The Yoruba Commitment Forum (YCF) has highlighted a looming food crisis in the South West region of Nigeria, attributing it to relentless attacks on farmlands by herdsmen.
The socio-political group described the situation as a national crisis with potentially calamitous consequences for Yorubaland.
Speaking through a statement signed by prominent members including Tayo Onayemi and Akeem Aponmade, on Sunday, the YCF stressed that the attacks had led to crises that needed to be nipped in the bud.
They added that the invasion and destruction of farmlands by rampaging Fulani herders over the past seven years had significantly disrupted agricultural activities in the region.
“We have observed that for about seven years now, Fulani herdsmen have been engaging in a relentless destruction of farmlands and settlements in Yorubaland,” the statement read.
“These criminal Fulani elements resorted to kidnapping, raping, maiming and killing of farmers and Yoruba sons and daughters.”
The YCF accused the federal government of negligence in addressing the attacks, alleging a deliberate attempt to undermine food security in the Southwest.
“The end result is that farmers began to be scared off their farms gradually until now when farms have been completely abandoned,” the statement continued.
Expressing concern over skyrocketing food prices, the group called for urgent measures to secure farmlands and provide compensation to affected farmers.
“We state emphatically that the situation whereby a basket of tomatoes is sold for #4000 in the North while the same is sold in Yorubaland for #150,000 is callous, ruthless and unacceptable to us,” the statement declared.
The YCF also urged the government to incentivize farmers to return to agriculture through financial support and enhanced security measures.
“Without government’s financial assistance, there is no way most farmers will be able to go back to farming, even if security of their lives and new investments are assured,” the statement concluded.
The Yoruba Commitment Forum’s alarm comes amid growing concerns over food security in Nigeria as the prices of food items have surged in recent times.
