By Ayuba Tambaya
I read with a mix of appreciation and deep frustration, the recent press release from the Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, detailing the visit by Barr Henry Danjuma Magaji and Hon. Muhuyideen Abdullahi Umar to the Koro communities in Kagarko Local Government Area. It’s commendable that our leaders took the time to commiserate with the affected people, attend church services, distribute palliatives, and issue directives against night grazing and underage herding. These gestures show a human touch, and the emphasis on peace, unity, and dialogue is something we all can get behind in these turbulent times. The people of Kabara, Kushe Koyi, Kushe Gugdu, and Dogon Kurmi deserve that kind of outreach, especially after the heartbreak of seeing their crops destroyed and livelihoods upended by the deliberate ravaging activities of Fulani herdsmen.
But let’s be honest here – while these visits warm the heart and provide momentary relief, they feel like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. The article paints a picture of goodwill and short-term fixes: cash donations, food palliatives, house-to-house consolations, and stern warnings to herders. All good intentions, no doubt. Yet, it glosses over the elephant in the room – the sheer scale of devastation wrought by Fulani herders on farmlands across Koro land. We’re not talking about a few isolated incidents; this is widespread destruction of crops that families have toiled over for months, if not years. Maize fields trampled, yam heaps uprooted, ginger plantations ravaged, rice paddies grazed to the ground – these aren’t just “misunderstandings” as the article lightly puts it. They’re acts that strike at the very core of food security for entire communities.
And here’s where my frustration boils over: famine is coming, and it’s not a distant threat. It’s knocking on our doors. With the rainy season winding down and harvest time upon us, the loss of these crops means empty granaries come dry season. Families who rely on their farms for sustenance and income will face starvation, malnutrition, and economic ruin. Children will go hungry, elders will suffer, and the ripple effects will spread to neighboring areas, potentially sparking more conflicts over scarce resources. We’ve seen this pattern before in other parts of Kaduna and beyond – herder incursions leading to crop failures, followed by food shortages that exacerbate poverty and unrest. If we don’t act decisively now, we’re setting the stage for a humanitarian crisis that could overwhelm not just Kagarko LGA but the entire state.
So, to Barr. Magaji, Hon. Umar, and the broader administration under Governor Uba Sani, I say this: it’s time to shift gears from symbolic visits and palliative distributions to real, proactive emergency planning. The focus should be on mobilizing both state and federal emergency agencies without delay. Let’s start with the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) – they need to be at the forefront, conducting rapid assessments of the damaged farmlands, quantifying the losses in terms of yield and economic value, and coordinating immediate relief efforts that go beyond a few bags of rice or cash handouts. We’re talking about large-scale food aid programs, seed banks for replanting, and agricultural recovery initiatives to get farmers back on their feet before the next planting season.
But this can’t be a state-level effort alone; the federal government must step in. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has the resources, expertise, and mandate to handle disasters of this magnitude. They should be called upon to deploy teams for on-ground support, including distributing high-yield seedlings, fertilizers, and even mechanized tools to affected farmers. Moreover, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security needs to be looped in to integrate this into national food security strategies. Perhaps it’s time for emergency declarations that unlock funding from the Ecological Fund or international partners like the World Food Programme. We’ve got precedents – remember how NEMA responded to floods in other states? Why not apply the same urgency here, where human-induced destruction is mimicking a natural disaster?
And let’s not forget the security angle, which ties directly into preventing further devastation. The directives against night grazing and underage herding are a start, but enforcement is key. We need joint task forces involving the police, civil defense, and even the military to patrol these areas, not just reactively but preventively. Herders found destroying crops shouldn’t just “pay for damages” – there needs to be a robust legal framework to deter such acts, perhaps through community-based arbitration councils that include representatives from both farmers and herders. But again, this all circles back to the bigger picture: without addressing the root causes like climate-driven migration, land use policies, and resource competition, we’ll be chasing our tails.
I also want to echo the Deputy Speaker’s caution against unverified social media posts, but with a twist. Yes, misinformation can fan flames, but so can inaction. Leaders use those same platforms to transparently update the public on what steps are being taken. Share timelines for agency interventions, progress reports on assessments, and ways communities can access aid. Inclusivity, as highlighted in the article, means involving local leaders, farmers’ associations, and even youth groups in these preparations. Let’s turn Governor Sani’s “inclusive governance agenda” into tangible action that safeguards lives and livelihoods.
In closing, while I appreciate the empathy shown in the visit, it’s not enough to console and caution. The people of Koro land – and indeed all of Kaduna – need assurance that their leaders are ahead of the curve on this looming famine. Barr. Magaji and Hon. Umar, you’ve opened your doors for discussions; let’s use that to rally for federal and state emergency support. Time is not on our side – the destroyed farms won’t magically regrow, and empty stomachs won’t wait for the next election cycle. Let’s prioritize prevention over palliatives, preparation over platitudes. Our communities deserve nothing less.
Ayuba Tambaya writes from Kabara, Koro Chiefdom, Kaduna State.
