The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has announced plans to deploy more than 11,000 Agro-Rangers personnel across the country to strengthen the protection of farmers ahead of the 2026 farming season.
The initiative follows a series of violent attacks on farmers recorded in different parts of Nigeria during the 2025 planting and harvesting periods.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, explained that the corps plays an important role in safeguarding farmers and agricultural investments. He added that the agency works closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to protect farming communities and mediate disputes affecting agricultural activities.
According to Afolabi, the Commandant-General of the corps, Abubakar Audi, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to deploying specially trained Agro-Rangers to vulnerable farming areas.
He said the corps had intensified the training and retraining of the Agro-Rangers, numbering over 11,000 across the country, to improve their capacity to secure farmlands and ensure the safety of farmers.
Afolabi also urged residents to provide useful information that could help security operatives prevent attacks. He stressed the importance of proactive intelligence gathering, particularly in communities that have previously experienced violence.
The NSCDC said the initiative is part of broader efforts to support food security and protect agricultural production nationwide. During a recent retraining programme for Agro-Rangers in Plateau State, Audi reiterated that the corps was prepared to deploy personnel wherever they are most needed to protect farmers and agricultural assets.
The announcement comes after several deadly incidents disrupted farming activities in 2025.
On January 12 and 13, at least 40 farmers were reportedly killed by militants linked to Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram near Lake Chad while working on their farms.
Other incidents followed later in the year. On October 1, armed bandits abducted three farmers at Bethel Farm in Ejiba, Kogi State.
Violence intensified in November. A farmer was killed in Kubon village in Plateau State on November 2. Between November 3 and 4, at least 10 farmers, including a pastor, were killed in Ohimini, Benue State while working on their farmland.
On November 20, four rice farmers were kidnapped while harvesting crops in Bokungi, Kwara State. Just days later, 13 female farmers aged between 15 and 20 were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
Further attacks were recorded on November 26, when at least 10 farmers were kidnapped while harvesting rice in Shiroro, Niger State.
In early December, gunmen abducted 20 onion farmers in Konduga, Borno State, only days after eight others had been kidnapped in the same area.
The recurring violence has raised serious concerns about rural safety and food production in Nigeria, with experts warning that continued insecurity could worsen food shortages and drive up food prices.
