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 a measure to curb insecurity in food-producing areas of the country which has recently adversely affected food production across the country.
President Tinubu’s Special Assistant 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 Corporation (NSCDC). It is noted that the Agro Rangers will help protect farmers from conflicts between farmers and ranchers as well as the destruction of their farmlands by malicious intent.
The post also stated, “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.”
The deployment of Agrorangers follows an earlier plan indicated by the Federal Government through the National Economic Council (NEC) in February this year to deploy Agrorangers as a short-term solution to insecurity in the country until a long-term solution to state police is achieved.
Rampaging insecurity especially in the northern region has forced many farmers to abandon their land, leading to a significant decline in food production and contributing to an increase in food prices across the country. Just last week, over 20 people were tragically killed in an attack on a farming village in Benue State, known as the food source of the country.
By July 2024, food inflation had risen to 40.87%. In response, the Federal Government floated the idea of creating state police. However, even if the bill to create the state police has already passed a second reading in Parliament, the proposal cannot be implemented solely by presidential decree or Act of Parliament.
