The razing of a mango plantation belonging to former President Olusegun Obasanjo by hoodlums in the Howe community in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State is unfortunate and condemnable. It is also sad that the incident occurred at a time the nation’s food security is under serious threat. The mango orchard was reportedly burnt down on January 30 by some arsonists following some disagreements with the locals over compensation for the piece of land that originally belonged to the state government.
The Chairman of Gwer East Local Government Area, Emmanuel Ortserga, who confirmed the incident, described the fire as a deliberate act by the hoodlums. Four persons, he said, were arrested in connection with the arson while investigations were still on to apprehend more culprits. Nearly half of the farm was lost to the inferno.
We condemn the attack in very strong terms. The torching of the mango farm is senseless and unnecessary. There are lawful channels to of settle any dispute without resorting to violence. Nobody has the right to take the laws into his hands no matter the level of provocation. The complaints of the indigenes could have been resolved without resorting to arson.
It is commendable that Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the fire. We agree with him that where it is discovered that the fire was an act of sabotage, the perpetrators must be brought to book. The governor should not back down on this.
He must get to the root of the cowardly act. The farm was conceived to serve the interest of Benue State people in the long run. The land on which the mango plantation was sited was leased to the Obasanjo Farms for 25 years, after which it would revert to the state. The former President would have handed over the plantation to the people at the end of his lease agreement.
More importantly, the majority of the workers of the farm, put at over 95 per cent, are indigenes of the host community. In all, the farm was a project that was intended to better the lot of the people in particular and the state in general but was willfully destroyed by hoodlums. By setting the farm ablaze, the workers and others earning income from it have been rendered jobless. Governor Ortom should not relent in going after the culprits.
The observation by the former President that the razing of the farm was a sad development cannot be faulted. The action of the hoodlums has underscored the level of intolerance and insecurity in the country. Allowing the culprits to go unpunished will embolden other criminals to act in the same devilish manner.
The attack on Obasanjo mango farm is not good for national integration, food security and economic development. Coming at a time when the emphasis is on agriculture and diversification of the economy away from oil, makes the matter more worrisome. We call on the police to fish out those behind the fire and prosecute them in accordance with the relevant laws of the land. Doing so will deter others from toeing the evil path.
Apart from the fire on the Obasanjo mango farm, there have been other attacks on agricultural facilities across the country. In January 2018, some herdsmen reportedly attacked the farm of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, located at Ilado Village in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State and burnt it down. The herdsmen completely razed the five hectares of oil palm plantation. In November 2020, more than 40 rice farmers were killed in Koshebe Village, near Maiduguri, by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
The North Central region has also witnessed the brutal killing of farmers by rampaging herders. Farmers in Zamfara and other states in the North West zone have had to contend with cattle rustlers and other criminals. Government must rise to the occasion and protect the farmers.
The attacks on the farmers contribute to food insecurity and soaring prices of food items. Let security agencies ensure adequate security for the farmers.