The prevailing security challenge in Yobe has reduced the farming population in Damaturu, leading to a decline in agricultural activities, an investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has revealed.

Speaking with NAN on Tuesday, Malam Zakariya Mohammad, a civil servant and farmer, said: " Insecurity and the ban on the use of motorcycles which has been the major means of transportation to the farming communities contributed to decline in farming activities in the state."

Abdullahi Usman, another farmer, said he had restricted his movement because of his experience in the previous violence in Damaturu.

"I spent two days at the state secretariat during the June attack so, I have personally restricted my movement and that is why I am not farming this year.

"There are several others who are not farming this year for fear of the unknown and the lack of transport," he said.

Kaku Buba, a sesame seed farmer, also said he was relocating to his village in Bade local government and abandoning his farm due to the security challenge in Damaturu.

"I have a relatively big farm around Kalalawa where I cultivate sesame seed but I am now going back to my village where I cannot obtain a farm of the same size and, where the pattern of rainfall is less."

Meanwhile, some stakeholders have expressed fears that the prevailing security challenge coupled with the rainfall pattern and the effects of desertification, might affect harvest this year.

NAN recalls that due to scarcity of foodstuff, the Yobe Government last year procured 12,000 bags of assorted grains which was sold to the public at subsidised rate under its Strategic Grains Reserve programme.