How Kaduna Recovered Over 500,000 Hectares of Farmland From Bandits, APC Governor Explains

• Kaduna's Commissioner for Information and Culture credited community-based security strategies for the farmland recovery
• The state government said 75 potential threats were identified between 2023 and early 2026, with 70 contained before escalating
• Agricultural spending in Kaduna rose sharply from N1.4 billion in 2023 to over N100 billion in 2026 following the security improvements

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

The Kaduna State Government said farmers have returned to over 500,000 hectares of agricultural land that had previously fallen under the grip of bandits, citing progress made in tackling insecurity over the last three years.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the security situation in many rural communities had once deteriorated to the point where bandits effectively controlled both residents and farming activities.

As reported by Vanguard, he made this known on Sunday, September 13, 2-26, at a Gala Night organised by the Kano Correspondents' Chapel during its annual retreat in Kaduna.

"It was so bad that farmers could not go to their farms. But today, with community-led security and early warning systems, peace has returned, and our farmers are back on the land," Maiyaki said.

How Kaduna tackled the insecurity

The commissioner said the state's approach went beyond conventional military responses. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups and other community stakeholders were brought into a broader framework designed to detect and prevent threats before they could escalate.

Between 2023 and early 2026, the government said 75 potential threats were identified, of which 70 were successfully contained before turning into communal or religious crises.

Maiyaki also pointed to a dramatic rise in the state's agricultural budget as evidence of growing confidence in the security environment. Spending on the sector climbed from N1.4 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026.

Part of that funding was channelled into free fertiliser for farmers, which he said contributed to a significant jump in maize yields, rising from roughly three bags per hectare to as many as 22 bags.

Roads and broader gains

Beyond farming inputs, Maiyaki linked the revival of agricultural activity to road construction and rehabilitation across 12 local government areas, which made it easier for farmers to transport produce to markets.

He framed the security improvements as the foundation for wider progress in education and healthcare across the state.

"Security is the foundation. Without it, we cannot achieve anything in health, education, or agriculture. Today, Kaduna is setting benchmarks for others to follow," the commissioner said.

He added that the government was measuring the success of its programmes by their real impact on residents' lives rather than by a count of projects completed.

Gunmen kill over 30 people in Kaduna

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that armed men attacked the Narido community in Kauru LGA, Kaduna State, killing over 30 people, including women and children. SOKAPU wrote an open letter to the Kaduna State government.

The Commissioner of Police, in a letter dated July 27, 2026, called for the urgent deployment of security forces.

The union warned that rural communities across Southern Kaduna face repeated attacks, displacement, and destruction of farmlands.